Reasons Why Chairmen, Members Of LG Caretaker Committees Resigned In Osun

Chairmen and members of the Caretaker Committees  in the 30 Local Governments, the Area Council, the 32 Local Council Development Authorities and the 6 Area Council Development Authorities in Osun state , reportedly resigned from their positions on Wednesday.

They had done this barely a week  after the Supreme Court gave local governments in the country ‘full authority’ over their funds and declared caretaker committees illegal.

There are 332 wards in the State of the Living Spring.

Letters of resignation of the chairmen including that of Adewale Adeyinka of Odo-Otin local government, Okuku went viral on Wednesday.

‘It is with a sense of duty and respect for our democratic principles that I write to tender my resignation from my position as Chairman of the Caretaker Committee , Odo-Otin Local Government, effective immediately.

As I move on to pursue further opportunities to serve my people, I want to assure you that the good work we have started will not end. I remain committed to supporting the growth and development of Odo-Otin Local Government in any capacity I can’  he submitted in the letter sent to Governor Ademola Adeleke, which was  dated July 17, 2024.

  Former state chairman of the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON), Sarafadeen Awotunde, submitted that   the caretaker chairmen and members have resigned  from their positions  citing the  Supreme Court ruling.

‘Since we already called them caretaker, I don’t think there is any appropriate word to use than that they resigned. Nobody sacked them.

Caretakers have temporary time to spend. It means their time is over. If you look at it critically, you will see that the Supreme Court has given a verdict. So, whatever is called caretaker now is illegal. So, there is nothing like a caretaker in Nigeria again’ he added.

In Osun state, there are 30 local governments, 32 local council development authorities, 6 area councils and one administrative office and the  caretaker committee chairmen and members were  sworn in by  Governor Adeleke on August 16,  2023.

Sources told Team@orientactualmags.com that the tenure of the chairmen and members of the caretaker committees will expire on August 15, 2024, and they had actually resigned from their positions to get ready for the primary elections that will produce PDP candidates for the upcoming local government elections.

Osun state PDP will, barring unforeseen circumstances, hold its primary elections between August 2 and 5.

The party , we gathered, is conscious of the implications of every step it takes to avoid what became the fate of those who were elected as local government chairmen and councilors towards the tail end of the Gboyega Oyetola administration precisely on October 15, 2022.

Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola , who is currently the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, had earlier lost re-election in July 2022, and Adeleke was then the governor-elect.

The Governor Ademola Adeleke administration had later taken a legal action to get the elected local government officials, who are APC members, out of office by arguing interalia that the state electoral commission had only given a 60-day notice instead of the required 360-day notice.

  Justice Nathaniel Ayo-Emmanuel of the Federal High Court, Osogbo  in November 2022, ruled that the  LG elections was held in contravention of Sections 29 and 32 of the Electoral Act, 2022.     

Team@orientactualmags.com learned that following the  Supreme Court ruling that  stopped governors from removing the LG chairmen a few days ago, the former elected LG officials had jubilated and had hoped to return to office  before it was later realized that though the caretaker committees had been declared illegal , they were however removed from office via a court order..

They cannot also appeal the ruling again because  it is statute barred-Team@orientactualmags.com  Do you have any information you wish to share with us? Do you want us to cover your event or programme? Kindly send SMS to 08059100286, 09094171980 or get in touch via orientactualmag@gmail.com.  Thank you