Vice Chairmen and Councillors of the16 local government areas of Kwara State, recently suspended by the state governor, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, have approached the court of law to seek redress over the stoppage of their salaries.
Addressing a joint press briefing in Ilorin on Monday, Yusuf Saliu Mohammed, the Chairman forum of vice chairmen and councillors, explained they decided to seek redress in court following the extension of the suspension order slammed on the councils by the governor.
Mohammed, argued that the recommendation made by the state House of Assembly demanding the suspension of 16 council chairmen was only for the suspended chairmen and was not suppose to affect them in the first instance.
“Although we were not happy with the illegal suspension, we choose to sacrifice six months from our tenure in the interest of peace in the state of Harmony. We are (and still are) certain that we ( vice chairmen and councillors ) did not commit any offence that could warrant suspension or other disciplinary action.
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“We therefore, decided to remain calm, confidently expecting our return to office after the expiration of six months.
“As the six month of our suspension was coming to an end, we gathered from the grapevine that the governor did not want us to return to our offices until the expiration of tenure in November 2020. And that he was likely to extend our suspension if he did not rightly dissolve the councils.
“This disclosure forced us to seek another way out as against our resolved to remain calm; hence our decision to go to court. We are now in court believing that the judiciary, which is the last hope of the common man, will wipe our tears for us The hearing will start on 17th January 2020,” said Mohammad.
Meanwhile, the state governor had on Tuesday last week extended the suspension of the 16 local government chairmen and their legislative committees, a decision premised on the ongoing investigation of the affected officials by the anti-graft body and a subsisting resolution of the House of Assembly.
They were accused of misappropriation of public funds.
“In furtherance of the powers conferred on me by the said resolution of the Kwara State House of Assembly of 18th June 2019, I, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, the Governor of Kwara State, hereby extend the suspension of the executive and legislative committees of all the 16 local government areas for another six months with effect from 18th December, 2019, pending the outcome of the investigation of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
“The report of the State House of Assembly indicting the executive and legislative committees of the local government areas for misappropriation of public funds has been sent to the EFCC for necessary action and possible prosecution,” the statement added.
“The members of the executive and legislative committees of the 16 local government areas are currently under investigations by the EFCC,” according to a legal instrument signed by the governor.
