Court stops Gov. Akeredolu from inaugurating Ondo LGAs, LCDAs caretaker committees

THE Ondo State High Court sitting in Akure has restrained Governor Rotimi Akeredolu from inaugurating the newly appointed caretaker committees for the 51 local government areas and local council development areas (LCDAs) of the state.

Justice Yemi Fasanmi granted an interlocutory injunction to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state on Tuesday, pending the determination of the suit.

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.

The PDP approached the court in Akure in a suit marked: AK/390/2023, praying the court to stop the defendants from inaugurating the Interim Management Committees for the LGAs and LCDAs.

The VAM News reports that this development comes barely 24 hours after the State House of Assembly screened and approved the appointment of the interim management committee to head the 18 LGAs and newly created 33 LCDAs of the state.

In August, the Assembly passed the bill for the creation of additional LCDAs after Mr Akeredolu transmitted the bill for its creation to the lawmakers.

Earlier, the PDP had kicked against the screening of caretaker committees, describing it as seamless and a flagrant violation of the 1999 Constitution.

In a statement issued to journalists by its director of media and publicity, Leye Igbabo, the PDP said the screening of the caretaker committee was “null and void” in the eyes of the law.

“Our party also believes the appointment of these committees is an attempt to derail the Local Government elections scheduled for 17th February 2024, given that the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the State is not in a form to have a good showing in the local polls.

“The Ondo State House of Assembly should not make itself a willing agent in the hands of those who are hell-bent on driving the state towards a huge rock. This public show of shame must stop because the consequences of damaging the very constitution that binds us together are better left unimagined,” the statement read.

Reactions have also followed the appointment of some of the caretaker committees in the category of the LCDAs.

The latest criticism followed the appointment of an Igbo woman, Eucharia Nwamara, as vice-chairman of Odigbo Local Council Development Area (LCDA).