Lawyer slams Aiyedatiwa over appointment of transition committees for LCDAs

An Ondo State-based lawyer and human rights activist, Tope Temokun, has described the appointment of transition committees for the Local Council Development Areas, LCDAs, in the state by Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa as illegal.

Temokun, who stated that the appointment was a directed attack on the people, stated that any committee constituted other than a democratically elected body is a caretaker committee in disguise.

The committee was constituted following the postponement of the local government election in the state by the Ondo State Independent Electoral Commission, ODIEC, a few days ago.

The constitution of the caretaker committees was coming amid the nullification of the creation of the LCDAs by an Ondo State High Court, which described the establishment by the late Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu as null and void.

The lawyer, in a statement, said: “Any other body, committee, or whatever name so-called, constituted to oversee the affairs of the local governments, other than a democratically elected body, is a nullity to the extent of its conflict with the clear provisions of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).

“A system of local government by democratically elected local government councils is what the constitution recognises and guarantees.

“Governor Aiyedatiwa owes the people many explanations on this new path of deliberate illegality he has chosen to toe and should address the people why he is building the new foundation of Ondo State government on a notorious illegality.

“The governor should be careful in his eclectic choice of political tutorials from experienced veteran violators of the constitution who ruled without elected government at the local councils.

“That system is no longer fashionable. It receives knocks and condemnation from the people and the court at every opportunity.”