In a significant development, the 33 council chairmen in Oyo State have unanimously withdrawn from the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON) following the Supreme Court’s ruling that grants financial autonomy to local governments across the nation.
The council chairmen expressed their solidarity with Governor Seyi Makinde in a communiqué, praising his leadership and achievements since assuming office. ALGON’s Public Relations Officer in Oyo State, Ibrahim Akintayo, described this move as an endorsement of Governor Makinde’s stance on local government autonomy.
Governor Makinde, in a recent meeting with stakeholders, addressed the Supreme Court’s decision, emphasizing the need for proactive measures. He said, “I called this meeting because I felt that even though we have not seen the Certified True Copy of the judgment of the Supreme Court, we have to be proactive and discuss the decision of the Supreme Court as it concerns financial autonomy of the local government councils because I believe a lacuna has been created between the decision and the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria that we all swore to uphold.”
“The law is the law, and when there is a conflict, yes, we should go to the court. But it behoves on us to look for our own home-grown solutions that can ensure we have transparency and that our people do not suffer. This is because when two elephants are fighting, it is the grass that will suffer,” Governor Makinde added.
