Lucky Aiyedatiwa, the Ondo State Governor, has suspended all the caretaker chairmen of the 18 local government areas and 33 Local Council Development Areas (LCDA) of the state.
The suspension of the caretaker chairmen was contained in a letter by the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs and signed by Alonge Adewale, a copy of which was made available to journalists on Wednesday in Akure.
Recall that Justice Yemi Fasanmi, of the Ondo State High Court had granted an interim injunction filed by the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) which sought to restrain late governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu from inaugurating any person or persons not democratically elected as member(s) of caretaker committees to administer the affairs of the local councils and the LCDA pending the determination of the interlocutory Injunction in this suit.
Justice Fasanmi later barred the caretaker chairmen from operating after they resumed office on the excuse that they had been sworn in before the order was granted.
The letter of their suspension read; “It has come to the notice of the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs that despite the suspension of all recently appointed Caretaker Committee members for Local Government (LGAS) and Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) in the State by a Court of competent jurisdiction, some individuals in these former positions are still parading themselves in that posts.
“Consequently, I have been directed to request the Heads of Local Government Administration (HOLGAs) in all the LGAs/LCDAs to immediately assume responsibility as head of their respective Local Government Areas/ LCDAs in acting capacity pending the resolution of all Legal matters relating to this subject.
“Furthermore, I have also been asked to request all HOLGAs to retrieve without delay, all assets and properties of the LGAs/LCDAs with these former Caretaker Chairmen, Vice-Chairmen and other members and to safely keep them within their respective Local Government Areas and Local Council Development Areas.
“Kindly give the content of this letter the urgent attention it deserves, please.”
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