PDP condemns Aiyedatiwa’s appointment of caretaker committees for Ondo LGs, LCDAs

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo State has raised questions over the legality and morality of the caretaker committees set up by the Ondo State government for the 18 local government areas and the newly created 33 local council development areas (LCDAs) in the state.

The State Governor , Lucky Aiyedatiwa, on Thursday, announced the creation of the ‘Transition committees,’ citing the indefinite postponement of local government polls by the Ondo State Independent Electoral Commission (ODIEC) as an excuse.

A high court judgment had also declared that the LCDAs created by the late governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, were illegal, null and void, after faulting the procedures leading to their creation.

Although the state governor was hitherto against the creation of the LCDAs, political expediency is said to be playing a role in his acceptance of the present reality as he is considering appealing the high court judgment.

However, in a swift reaction on Thursday, the PDP, in a statement signed by its Publicity Secretary, Kennedy Peretei, described the transition committees for the 18 LGAs and 33 LCDAs as illegal.

“On Thursday, 20 June, 2024, Justice A. O Adebusoye pronounced the 33 LCDAs created by the Rotimi Akeredolu’s administration as inchoate and unlawfully created. The Court held that the local government creation law 2023 was unconstitutional, illegal, null and void,” the PDP statement said.

“Therefore, it is the height of lawlessness and impunity for Aiyedatiwa to appoint Committees for LCDAs that are non-existent in the eyes of the law.

“The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ondo State chapter wishes to advise the Governor to respect the laws of the land and stop embarrassing the people of the state with his actions that make us a laughing stock in the comity of civilised people,” it added.

But the governor said the transition committees would oversee the affairs of the LGs and LCDAs in the state until the local government election is held by the electoral body.

He also said the state government was currently examining the concerns raised by some communities over the delineations carried out during the creation of the LCDAs with a view to making the necessary amendments.