Despite the pronouncement of dissolution of local government councils by the new Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, the council bosses yesterday vowed to remain in office. The Chairman of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) in the state, Ayodeji Abass-Alesinloye (Oluyole LG), who led 15 other chairmen to the secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), said despite a court judgment which stopped the governor from taking such step, he went ahead to pronounce their sack.

The chairmen, in their address titled: “Public Statement on the Purported Dissolution of Democratically Elected Local Government in Oyo State by Governor Seyi Makinde”, described their sack as undemocratic and illegal. Speaking further, Abass-Alesinloye said the military-like statement issued by the governor that all councils and the local council development authorities be dissolved with immediate effect amounted to a familiar jackboot statement of the military era.

He said, “It is unexpected and quite unfortunate in a democracy. The statement came out less than 12 hours after Gov. Makinde was sworn in.” They, therefore, vowed to remain in office. The governor, through his Chief of Staff, Chief Bisi Ilaka, had on Wednesday evening directed that “all local government authorities, local council development authorities be dissolved with immediate effect.” He asked the chairmen to hand over to their heads of administration or the most senior directors.