• Thursday, March 28, 2024
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BusinessDay

One killed, 8 others injured in Oyo council crisis

No worker in Oyo State’ll earn below N30,000 minimum wage – Makinde

The crisis rocking local government administration in Oyo state heightened on Monday with the killing of one person following a fracas that broke out between loyalists of the ruling People’s Democratic Party ( PDP) and the All Progressive Congress (APC).

The friction also led to about eight people sustaining severe injuries.

The deceased a middle-aged man simply identified as Alajase is a member of the PDP from Surulere local government.

While the injured are currently receiving treatment in an undisclosed medical facility in Ogbomoso, the son of the former governor Christopher Adebayo Alao – Akala, Olamiju who was among the elected council chairmen sacked by Governor Seyi Makinde was allegedly attacked by some hoodlums when he was on his way to resume office.

It was gathered that trouble started when the loyalists of both parties clashed at the Ogbomoso North Local Government Secretariat after a hot exchange of words.

The caretaker chairman appointed by Makinde, Ibrahim Ajagbe and the sacked elected chairman, Olamiju Alao- Akala, were at the council’s secretariat to resume office Monday morning when their supporters clashed.

During the melee, dangerous weapons such as cutlasses, knives, iron rods, charms, and heavy objects were used.

Meanwhile, despite court order restraining both parties, caretaker committee Chairmen who were recently appointed by Governor Seyi Makinde on Monday resumed in their various local government areas.

Also, some of the sacked chairmen resumed in their offices which led to fracas in many local councils.

Oyo state government had last week obtained an injunction which restrained the Inspector-General of Police, Muhammed Abubakar, Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, and the sacked local government Chairmen from forcefully taking over the council Secretariats in the state.

Also restrained were the Commissioner of Police, Oyo State Command, Shina Olukolu, and the Oyo State APC chairman, Akin Oke.

It will be recalled that local government Chairmen who were elected during the administration of immediate past Governor of the state, Abiola Ajimobi in May 2018, resumed at their various local government areas last Monday.

Makinde while speaking during a meeting with the 33 Caretaker Chairmen of local governments and 35 chairmen of Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) he appointed last in December declared that he did not meet any elected local government official when he came in as Governor of the state in May last year. He urged them to ignore the sacked local government Chairmen and return to their various local government areas.

The appointed Caretaker Chairmen have, allegedly however, despite the injunction resumed their various offices as directed by Makinde.

Those who allegedly resumed included caretaker Chairman in Oluyole Local Government, Olaide Popoola, and Caretaker Chairmen in Iseyin Local Government Area.

Others were Caretaker Chairman in Oorelope Local Government Area, Yakub Ganiyu and Saki West Local Government Caretaker Chairman, Mudashiru Eruobodo and that of Aare Latosa Local Council Development Area (LCDA)  Kazeem Oshoniyi.

Caretaker Chairman in Oluyole Local Government Area, Popoola while addressing his supporters, advised Oluyole residents to shun act of hooliganism and join hands with Governor Seyi Makinde government and his administration for the progress of Oluyole LG and Oyo State in general.

He told the gathering that members of NULGE will soon resume at their duty posts as normalcy has returned to local government and the skirmishes of the last few days is what’s expected when anti-democratic agents are bent on continuing with their looting spree.

Popoola was accompanied by the member representing Oluyole State Constituency, Francis Adetunji, Ayo Adedeji, Oyo State Publicity Secretary of PDP, Akeem Olatunji, Oluyole Local Government PDP Chairman,  Mukaila Adegbola and Government Liaison Officer, Olumide Akinlade Okelawa.