Ondo govt suspends LG chairmen indefinitely

• The development becomes necessary following a court injunction stopping the local government chairmen and the newly appointed caretaker of the LCDA from parading themselves as chairman

The Ondo State government on Wednesday suspended all the newly appointed Caretaker Committee members for Local Government Areas and Local Council Development Areas (LCDAS) in the state indefinitely.

The development becomes necessary following a court injunction stopping the local government chairmen and the newly appointed caretaker of the LCDA from parading themselves as chairman.

This was made known in a memo by the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, signed by Abiodun Alonge, who directed the chairmen to vacate their offices with immediate effect.

The memo read: “It has come to the notice of the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs that despite the suspension of all recently appointed Caretaker Committee members for Local Government (LGAS) and Local Council Development Areas (LCDAS) in the state by a Court of competent jurisdiction, some individuals in these former positions are still parading themselves in those posts.

“Consequently, I have been directed to request the Heads of Local Government Administration (HOLGAs) in all the LGAs and LCDAs to immediately assume responsibility as heads of their respective local government areas and LCDAs in acting capacity pending the resolution of all legal matters relating to this subject.

“Furthermore, I have also been asked to request all HOLGAs to retrieve without delay all assets and properties of the LGAs and LCDAs with these former caretaker chairmen, vice chairmen, and other members and to safely keep them within their respective local government areas and local council development areas.

“Kindly give the content of this letter the urgent attention it deserves, please.”

It will be recalled that Justice Yemi Fasanmi, of the State High Court, granted an interlocutory injunction to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state pending the determination of the suit filed against the appointment of caretaker chairmen for local government areas and LCDA.

The court also restrained the Ondo State House of Assembly, the Speaker of the Assembly, and the Attorney General of Ondo State, who are joint defendants in the case.