It is not how long but how well, Baba Ajasin spent 4yrs, Jakande spent only 4yrs and their names are indelible till today. There are many Governors that spent 8yrs and we can not but mention their names without cursing them. AIYEDATIWA will spent 4yrs and for good in Jesus name. Amen

Referring this country as ZOO is an insult to this nation.

Still on Ondo State Governorship Primaries: Just Thinking Aloud🤔

By Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu

What happened, yesterday, at the primaries was unprecedented. It was terrible! Never experienced that kind of kangaroo and fraudulent primaries in Ondo State in the last 7 years. It was like Aketi's adversaries have succeeded in urinating on his grave with relish. The hands of professional election riggers known and unknown were all over the place. Without credible elections, Nigeria will continue to crawl with disabilities in leadership given that the power interlopers at the helm of affairs lack character, compassion, sincerity of purpose, mental and intellectual capacities for providing quality leadership required to stand firm and engage in impactful developmental strides. It will interest you to note that, throughout the election cycles during Aketi's time, elections were relatively free and fair. Though tension soaked yet interesting to be involved or watch. No thuggery, (Aketi was known for NOT encouraging thuggery), voters voted in peace without molestation. Go and verify as PO would say. I make bold to say that Nigeria witnessed peace and decorum in the conduct of elections in Ondo State while Aketi was the Governor. Imagine, PDP won 2 MHA seats in Akoko and Aketi didn't upturn them. I remember party stalwarts wanted him to reverse the results to favour APC but he refused stating that it was the choice of the constituents. I was very proud of my husband because that's how things should be if we were in a sane clime. Sadly Nigeria is a ZOO! It is heartbreaking that the positive changes in the conduct of elections that Aketi nurtured for 7 years have been thrown to the dogs. Thuggery is back in Ondo State politics with vengance. Beeni! Big time!!!

Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu writes from Owo, Ondo State

🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄

This write-up shows how wicked and a liar this shameless woman is, during their time in Ondo state was when democracy was murdered when Aketi was rigged to win the ticket, she and her family were busy collecting money from almost all aspirants of APC in Ondo State, she formed a conventional 419 ring cartel where she recruited her Igbo folks as catchers while she turned Ondo State people to mugus, where they will collect money from more than three aspirants for just one position, as she suddenly forgot how they hijacked voting process from Akoko to Akure? That was the daylight robbery that produced the current House of Representatives member Gboyega Adefarati when Hon. Adeogun was denied the ticket, has this lucifer forgot so soon how they wrote results in Government house, she has also suddenly forgot thugs in Aketi's branded campaign vehicles displaying guns, shooting on air to scare opposition during election? has she forgot how Femi Adekanbi was chased out of Owo during the election period in Owo? How the current Deputy Governor was harassed in his Owo hometown? This shameless woman has also forgot how she turned herself to a dictator in our state where if you don't bribe her you can not get anything in the state despite not holding any constitutional office, how she took 800 SUBEB contracts to herself out of 1660 contacts meant for the state, how she took state apparatus to her village for campaign for her failed senatorial election in Imo south senatorial election, how she tried to imposed an igbo woman in Odigbo Local Government as chairman as against the wish of the people, is that democracy? Very soon we are going to open the books of looting of our treasury by her, her children and in-laws.
This shameless former fingerlinks seller now a billionaire has the guts to call Nigeria a ZOO and it is this same ZOO that you looted from that gave you that status of a billionaire and choice properties scattered allover the world, may God punishment locate you IJMN.
As far as Ondo State is concerned you are a foreigner here and you don't have any stake here rather than to retrieve all you have stolen from our state, all our state vehicles you and your family took away will be retrieve from all of you.

Olujimi Adekanle JAF
Public Affairs Analyst.

POLITICIANS! When they realized that someone is popular than them and is most likely to win the ticket of their party and the masses, they will come out with fake certificate saga. I believe AIYEDATIWA is the most popular candidate amongst the contestants.

09037752770

09037752770

Pls, is there any application to watch football live matches.

This man Fubara is sitting on the gunpowder, I pitied him.

optm:
your lens prescription is due for change. Go get another test done

I appreciate you doc, thanks

optm:
how old are you? How long have you been using your current glass prescription? Does your eye feel peppery or dry?

I am 57 years of age, and my eyes are itching periodically, especially on the left side. I've been using my glass prescription for more than 5yrs.

Doctor, I appreciate you for opening this thread. I can read books without using glasses, though I have glasses with the Number +200. What I discovered recently is that when I am watching the TV or computer screen, the words will be as if it was divided into two, I thought it was my screen that was showing like that until I later discovered this in the church today and I asked a guy sitting beside me and he said the words are in good order. Pls what are the causes and what can I do? Thanks

Ondo State INDIGENES are tired of you, how can an Ogun State indigene start to cause mayhem in another state when he was called by Akeredolu to come and eat? To your tent o' Isreal, what portion have you in David's house?

BREAKING: Lucky Aiyedatiwa Takes Oath as Ondo State Governor Amidst Unfavorable Reception for SSG, APC State Chairman.

... SSG, STATE PARTY CHAIRMAN FACED BOOS FROM THE CROWD.

In a significant political event from minutes ago in Ondo State capital Akure today, Lucky Aiyedatiwa has been officially sworn in as the new Governor of Ondo State, marking the beginning of a new era. However, the swearing-in ceremony held in the capital city of Akure was not without controversy, as the state chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Engr. Adetimehin, and the Secretary to the State Government, Princess Oladunni Odu, faced boos from the audience.

The event, intended to be a moment of celebration for the incoming governor, took an unexpected turn as some attendees expressed dissatisfaction by booing the APC state chairman and the Secretary to the State Government during the swearing-in proceedings.

The reasons behind this disapproval remain unclear, but it signals a challenging atmosphere for the APC leadership in the state. As Aiyedatiwa assumes the gubernatorial office, the dynamics within the party and the state government are likely to draw increased attention and scrutiny.

People are ready to borrow you money to do irrelevant things rather than borrowing you to prosper in life, that is why you see people behaving like paupers just to get something from you because this is what people want.

happney65:


Yes o. See the coincidence. Both of them are Tunde O.

Buhari believed mostly in those who worked with him during the military era, hearing Tunde, he thought it was TUNDE IDIAGBON, he couldn't differentiate this Tunde and Tunde IDIAGBON, someone who gave an appointment to the dead person who worked with him during the military regime.😀😀😀

Ondo: Why Those Who Conducted “Illegal Swearing In Ceremony” For Selected Caretaker Members Should Be On Their Way To Jail”- Odidi
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Last updated: 2023/12/17 at 11:20 AM
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I read a story on a platform about the negative position of some people in Govt on the purported suspension of COP to Aketi and LG caretaker issues…..

My view:

This story is mischievous and a calculated attempt to Still continue to heat up the polity, there is nothing absolutely wrong with the action of the Acting Governor, COP to Governor was never suspended from his office, the Ag. Governor only choose to ask the Deputy COS in his office to.carry out the duty of assigning his schedules temporarily until when the Governor resumes and the COP will take over, nothing is wrong with this, we are still alive, when President Buhari went on leave then and handed over reign of Govt to Osinbajo, the activities of Garba Shehu and Adesina speaking for the presidency will be put in abeyance until he resume while Laolu Akande of the office of the VP holds sway, so Ayedatiwa is in order, on the LG issue, in fact in a sane society, those who conducted that illegal swearing in ceremony for the selected caretaker members should have been on their way to Jail for contempt of Court, their action was a flagrant disobedience to a subsisting court order, their action is not only condemnable but a minus to the upholding of the rule of law which is the centre point of Democracy, when an order of court is made, rightly or wrongly, it must be obeyed until its Set aside, for me that action was null and void and in Law when something is void, its not only bad but incurably bad for you can’t put something on nothing and expect it to stand, so if you ask me about the LG caretaker committee, I will tell you that their stay in office up till this moment is grossly illegal and should not stand.

TEXT OF STATE BROADCAST ADDRESS BY THE ACTING GOVERNOR OF ONDO STATE, HON LUCKY AYEDATIWA MARKING HIS ASSUMPTION OF OFFICE UPON TRANSMISSION OF POWER BY GOVERNOR OLUWAROTIMI AKEREDOLU, SAN, CON.

My good people of Ondo State,

I address you today with a humble heart and a mixed feeling. The events which have culminated in today’s address is a watershed in the annals of our experience as a people. It is not a moment of celebration, but rather a moment of sober reflection. A moment for us to really appreciate the collective burden of moving our State forward. The events of the past months have indeed challenged our love for our state and indeed democracy which we all profess.

Throughout the whirlwind and the storm, we held fast to our firm believe that we owe it a duty to ourselves, the people and posterity not to allow the suspense and confusion go on without end because of its dire implications for our development and progress in Ondo State. At no time in our history has unity among our people been so vital as it is at the present time. Unity of purpose, unity of effort and unity of spirit which are all essential to accomplish the task before us. It is necessary for us to acknowledge with pride, the profound legacies and the place of our leader and father of the State, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu, SAN, CON, the Governor of Ondo State. We acknowledge the sterling leadership and character he has provided for the state. Mr. Governor is a transformational and courageous leader who has turned around the fortunes of the State in the last six an-a-half years. His records of performance are monumental and here with us.

In all facets of our development, be it governance, security, health, education, economy, infrastructure, industrialisation and others, his footprints are foundational and will serve the state in greater heights in the future. Above all and as you all know our Governor has been a strong, effectual and respected voice in matters of national development, doing the Sunshine State proud at all fora. The State will forever be grateful to Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu SAN, CON for driving our development so well. We are really proud of him.

At this juncture, permit me to say that only God Almighty has explanations for what happened in the last few months. When nature sets in to hinder human performance, it is always a painful thing. We must acknowledge that the key to the well-being of a man is in the hands of God. It is not for us as humans to
question God but to pray for His mercies upon our lives. It is in this regard that we admit with all sense of responsibility that the intrigues that ensued due to Mr Governor’s health challenges were indeed avoidable distractions. We ought to have done better so as to keep giving Ondo State the seamless and solid governance which Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu, SAN, CON, had established in the State in the last six-and-a-half years.

As a government, we must appreciate the sovereignty of the people that voted us into office and we regret in no unmistakable terms the toll which this whole episode had inflicted on the psyche of the People and the development of the State. Despite all these, my dear people, I come to you today, to urge you all not to relent, as you have always done, in your prayers for the quick restoration of good health and strength to our leader, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu, SAN, CON.

Also of paramount importance is the expectation of our people that we continue to deliver on the mandate given to Mr. Governor and my humble self . We must return quickly to the path of accelerated progress that has eluded the State in the last few months. We must excuse unnecessary distractions. We can no longer be separated in interest or divided in purpose. We must stand together until the end. We must come back stronger and more determined to advance the welfare and security of our people, being the primary object of government as encapsulated in the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended. Let us build a shared future from a divided past. We owe no less to the good people of the Sunshine State.

Bearing in mind that the very huge responsibility of governance, i must emphasise that the task is indeed not one that one individual can accomplish alone. It is a gigantic task that requires inclusive engagement, focus and collective actions from both the government and the governed. We, therefore, implore you all across the State, young and old, to contribute your utmost commitment, cooperation and support towards advancing the State in our development trajectory.

May I on this note express our deep appreciation to the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, the Senate President His Excellency Godwin Akpabio, the National Chairman of our Party APC, His Excellency Alhaji Abdullahi Umar Ganduje and other top national officials of the Party for providing succour to Ondo State at our critical time of cloud and need. I extend our profound gratitude to the good people of our dear State, the speaker of Ondo State House of Assembly, members of the state Executive Council, our Senators and members of the House of Representatives, members of the Ondo state the House of Assembly, the State Chairman, working committee members and leaders of our great party, the APC. We also owe a debt of gratitude to our traditional rulers, religious leaders and especially our elder Statesmen in the state led by our father, Papa Reuben Fasoranti. May I also express our profound gratitude to the civil servants of Ondo State, Civil Society Organisations, the Media and the youths for their patriotism and for being part of the peace process to guarantee continued sustenance of the pride of place of the Sunshine State in the comity of States.

I cannot but specially appreciate the third arm of Government, the Judiciary through the honourable chief Judge, for its courage, commitment and dedication to protect democracy and the constitution of the nation. It is on record that we all sailed through the unnecessary and avoidable weather together. We won together. We are all one large family. We are one great people with one focus : to make our state greater than it is today.

At a personal level, I am confident that our democracy would be further enriched with the hard lessons learnt from this episode. For us in government, this whole experience should open a new place in our hearts; a place where we must appreciate that the trust vested in us as a part of the small privileged
percentage of people, must be used for the best welfare of the larger percentage of the people. We must rise far above the intrigues and instability of the past and roll up our sleeves in service of the people. We are nothing but trustees of the people with whom we share a common humanity. We must and we will exercise with utmost discretion the privileges conferred on us by the great people of Ondo State.

Finally and bearing in mind the foregoing, I therefore wish to assure you all that it is with a deep sense of humility and a heart of absolute commitment to the good of our Sunshine State that I accept the onerous assignment, during this temporary absence of Mr. Governor, to serve you as the Acting Governor of Ondo State.
Yesterday is already behind us. This is the time to carry aloft, with love and affection for one another, the laudable vision and mission of the. Governor for the State. I appeal to every member of the Government of Ondo state for your genuine support, cooperation and dedication. We need a renewed unity to berth
the significant and accelerated development clearly envisioned and vigorously pursued by Mr. Governor. My good people of Ondo state, what happened in the past was a temporary delay in our democratic journey. As a government we have recovered.

In conclusion i wish to end this address by urging you all to continue to pray for the mighty healing of God to embrace and hasten the recovery of our leader, the Governor of Ondo State, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu, SAN, CON to enable him return to office, hale and hearty.

May God bless Ondo State.

May He bless our dear Governor and have mercy upon us all.

Thank you.

Breaking: Aiyedatiwa Addresses Ondo Residents Tomorrow Thursday - https://theprecisionng.com/2023/12/breaking-aiyedatiwa-addresses-ondo-residents-tomorrow-thursday.html

Concerned Ondo Indigenes In Diaspora Write President Tinubu On Need For Another Mediation To Restore Governance In Ondo State ☞ https://thestewardship.com.ng/2023/12/12/concerned-ondo-indigenes-in-diaspora-write-president-tinubu-on-need-for-another-mediation-to-restore-governance-in-ondo-state/

the State Government (SSG), the Rt. Hon Speaker of Ondo State House of Assembly, other cabinet members including the Governor’s son, Mr. Babajide Akeredolu, be invited for questioning with a view to unraveling the perpetrators of this criminality.

Chief Charles Akinwon optimistic that, EFCC will treat the petition as a matter of urgency and rescued Ondo from predators siphoning our money.

The Honourable Attorney General and
Commissioner for Justice of Ondo State,
Ministry of Justice,
Akure,

Attention: Sir Titiloye Charles KSM, FCArb

Dear Hon AG Sir,

OPEN LETTER

APPOINTMENT OF CARETAKER CHAIRMEN/VICE CHAIRMEN FOR THE EIGHTEEN (18) LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREAS AND THE FIFTEEN (15) 'LOCAL COUNCIL DEVELOPMENT AREAS' IN ONDO STATE BY THE ONDO STATE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY: AN ACT OF UNBRIDLED LEGISLATIVE ILLEGALITY AND AFFRONT TO THE CONSTITUTION AND JUDICIAL PRONOUNCEMENTS OF THE SUPREME COURT OF NIGERIA AND THE HIGH COURT OF ONDO STATE; A CALL ON YOUR GOOD OFFICE TO RESTORE AND ENFORCE THE RULE OF LAW.

Prefatory

I present warm compliments to you sir and I hope this meets you well.

I write as a citizen of Nigeria of Ondo State origin and a Legal Practitioner and a Notary Public who has sworn to defend, promote and uphold the rule of law.

Kindly permit me to write you in your position as the Chief Law officer of Ondo State using this platform which has become and has been recognised as an indispensable and effective medium of communication on diverse issues including but not limited to legality of governmental actions.

Background facts

1. Illegality of appointment of caretakers:

After the political intervention of Mr. President, His Excellency, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR in the leadership and governance impasse which had gripped Ondo State by the jugular since the absence of the Governor, His Excellency, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, CON, from office due to ill health, the people of Ondo State had the right to and indeed looked forward to the resumption of governance properly so called at all levels of governance in the State including the Local Government Area Councils which is the third tier of government and the closest to the grassroots.

Perhaps, one of the greatest set backs that the absence of Mr. Governor has foisted on our dear State is the absence of leadership at the third tier of government, i.e. the eighteen local government council areas. This is given the fact that no local government election has been conducted by the Ondo State Independent Electoral Commission (ODIEC) to fill in the vacancies created in the local government councils as a result of the expiration in August 2023 of the tenure of the immediate past Chairmen of the Eighteen (18) Local Government Areas in the State.

Governance having been said to resume in the State following the intervention of Mr. President, which intervention as you are very much aware has effectively circumvented the provisions of Sections 189 and 190 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), residents of the State legitimately expected the State Government to immediately sent in motion the processes for the conduct of local government elections to fill the vacancies created by the expiration of the tenure of the immediate past local government Chairmen in the State. However, in defiance of/disregard to the Constitution and litany of judgments of superior courts on this issue including the Supreme Court of Nigeria, the Ondo State House of Assembly emerged from it's Tuesday, 28th November 2023 plenary with a strange list of what it termed Caretaker Chairmen/Vice Chairmen for the 33 Local Coincil Development Areas for the period of 2023-2024.

Kindly recall that Section 7(1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) guarantees an independent and separate local government system as a tier of Government in the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Sir, as you are aware, the Supreme Court of Nigeria in a welter of decisions have pronounced with unequivocality that the appointments of caretaker chairmen or officers to superintend the affairs of local government area councils in Nigeria is a violation of the extant, mandatory and subsisting provisions of Section 7 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and consequently unconstitutional and illegal. The Supreme Court and Court of Appeal clearly reiterated this position of the law in several decisions including: Akpan v. Umah (2002) LPELR-7099 where the Court of Appeal declared:

"..any law made by the House of Assembly which provides for the nomination of membership of a council or appointment of an administrator or caretaker committee to replace a democratically elected council is inconsistent with the clear and unambiguous provisions of Section 7(1) of the 1999 Constitution which guarantees democratically elected local government councils and is therefore unconstitutional to the extend of its inconsistency."

I therefore beseech you sir, as the Chief Law Officer of Ondo State to exercise restraint in taking further steps to legalise the illegality which the Ondo State House of Assembly now seek to perpetrate and legalise through its legislative seal. It must be reiterated that those interested in holding elective offices at the level of local Governments should participate in the process for the election of democratically elected local government chairmen and councillors and win the confidence and trust of the people.

The situation at hand is unacceptable and an afrront on the laws of the land by which a few persons, based on political and other parochial interests, pick and choose individuals to preside over the affairs of this important tier of government. This is putting it in stronger terms, anti-people and inimical to the development of the local councils who are the closest to the people. It is indubitable that these persons are bound to do the biding of their 'benefactors' and pay masters and relegate the interest of the people they were foisted upon to the rear.

Assuming without conceding, as some persons who are wont to justify the illegal appointments by all means may argue, that the Ondo State House of Assembly may have recourse to the Ondo State Local Government (Amendment) Law 2007 to constitute interim committees to administer the existing local government areas and the purported LCDAs, your good office is very well aware that such a statutory provision is inconsistent with the mandatory and superior provisions of Section 7(1) of the 1999 Constitution and consequently null and void, see *Gov. Of Ekiti State v. Olubunmo (2017) 3 NWLR (pt. 1551) 1* where the Supreme Court held that constitution of caretaker committees is permissible only in a state of emergency and since Ondo State is not, the proper thing is to administer the Local councils through democratically elected officials.

2. Appointment of caretakers to 15 LCDAs, an affront to the judicial powers of the High Court of Ondo State.

As you are eminently aware sir, the validity and constitutionality of the Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) recently created vide a bill signed into law by His Excellency, Mr. Governor at Ibadan in Oyo State is currently being tested under the fire of judicial scrutiny before the High Court of Ondo State sitting in Akure in _Suit No: AK/395/2023 Pa Lawal Ibukun Rogbitan & 22 Ors v. Governor of Ondo State & Ors_. It is however baffling for the rule of law and the integrity and magisterial authority of our courts that these LCDAs whose legality and _a fortiori_ their validity is under serious contestant before a competent court of law were also made subject of these illegal appointments despite the fact that the Speaker of Ondo State House of Assembly is a party to the pending litigation.

As you are aware sir, the Plaintiffs comprising well meaning indigenes of Akokoland commenced the action by way of Originating Summons in November 2023 and also accompanied the Originating Summons with a Motion on Notice for Interlocutory Injunction seeking among others, an order restraing the defendants from giving effect to the Ondo State Creation of Local Government Areas law 2023 until the determination of the Originating Summons.

The Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly is the 3rd Defendant in the suit and the Application for Interlocutory Injunction. Respect and deference to the judicial powers and authority of the courts places a mandatory duty on the Speaker as the head of the legislative arm of Government to ensure that the _status quo_ is maintained and nothing is done to jeopardise or render nugatory the decision that the High Court of Ondo State may arrive at on this matter. This is more so because the powers of the State House of Assembly to make laws or perform legislative functions is subject to the jurisdiction of the courts by virtue of section 4( of the 1999 Constitution as amended.

Prayers

1. In the circumstances therefore, this is a humble call to your good self and the esteemed office you hold by virtue of section 211 of the 1999 Constitution (as Amended) to respect the rule of law which is the fulcrum of our constitutional democracy by dint of section 14 of the said 1999 Constitution and prevent further acts of flagrant disobedience to the Constitution and established and ubiquitous judicial decisions of the Supreme Court which have magisterially outlawed the appointments of caretaker officers in a local government system as being unconstitutional and illegal._

2. That your good an esteemed office should immediately in conjunction with the Deputy Governor and other members of State Executive Council set in Motion the election of democratically elected officials to administer the eighteen local councils._

3. Furthermore, that your esteemed office ensures that no further action is taken by any of the parties to Suit No: AK/395/2023 Pa Lawal Ibukun Rogbitan & 22 Ors v. Governor of Ondo State & 2 Ors or their agents and privies in which your esteemed office is a party (2nd Defendant) and the Speaker, Ondo State House of Assembly (3rd Defendant) which may render the judgment/decision of the High Court of Ondo State nugatory or foist a state of helplessness on the court.

Thank you your positive and prompt action on this issue of grave constitutional and public interest implications would restore our dear State on the path of the rule of law which you have always championed and advocated for.

Thank you for your patience.

Yours faithfully,

E- signed
Vincent Adodo, Esq., LL.M

The Honourable Attorney General and
Commissioner for Justice of Ondo State,
Ministry of Justice,
Akure,

Attention: Sir Titiloye Charles KSM, FCArb

Dear Hon AG Sir,

OPEN LETTER

APPOINTMENT OF CARETAKER CHAIRMEN/VICE CHAIRMEN FOR THE EIGHTEEN (18) LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREAS AND THE FIFTEEN (15) 'LOCAL COUNCIL DEVELOPMENT AREAS' IN ONDO STATE BY THE ONDO STATE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY: AN ACT OF UNBRIDLED LEGISLATIVE ILLEGALITY AND AFFRONT TO THE CONSTITUTION AND JUDICIAL PRONOUNCEMENTS OF THE SUPREME COURT OF NIGERIA AND THE HIGH COURT OF ONDO STATE; A CALL ON YOUR GOOD OFFICE TO RESTORE AND ENFORCE THE RULE OF LAW.

Prefatory

I present warm compliments to you sir and I hope this meets you well.

I write as a citizen of Nigeria of Ondo State origin and a Legal Practitioner and a Notary Public who has sworn to defend, promote and uphold the rule of law.

Kindly permit me to write you in your position as the Chief Law officer of Ondo State using this platform which has become and has been recognised as an indispensable and effective medium of communication on diverse issues including but not limited to legality of governmental actions.

Background facts

1. Illegality of appointment of caretakers:

After the political intervention of Mr. President, His Excellency, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR in the leadership and governance impasse which had gripped Ondo State by the jugular since the absence of the Governor, His Excellency, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, CON, from office due to ill health, the people of Ondo State had the right to and indeed looked forward to the resumption of governance properly so called at all levels of governance in the State including the Local Government Area Councils which is the third tier of government and the closest to the grassroots.

Perhaps, one of the greatest set backs that the absence of Mr. Governor has foisted on our dear State is the absence of leadership at the third tier of government, i.e. the eighteen local government council areas. This is given the fact that no local government election has been conducted by the Ondo State Independent Electoral Commission (ODIEC) to fill in the vacancies created in the local government councils as a result of the expiration in August 2023 of the tenure of the immediate past Chairmen of the Eighteen (18) Local Government Areas in the State.

Governance having been said to resume in the State following the intervention of Mr. President, which intervention as you are very much aware has effectively circumvented the provisions of Sections 189 and 190 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), residents of the State legitimately expected the State Government to immediately sent in motion the processes for the conduct of local government elections to fill the vacancies created by the expiration of the tenure of the immediate past local government Chairmen in the State. However, in defiance of/disregard to the Constitution and litany of judgments of superior courts on this issue including the Supreme Court of Nigeria, the Ondo State House of Assembly emerged from it's Tuesday, 28th November 2023 plenary with a strange list of what it termed Caretaker Chairmen/Vice Chairmen for the 33 Local Coincil Development Areas for the period of 2023-2024.

Kindly recall that Section 7(1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) guarantees an independent and separate local government system as a tier of Government in the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Sir, as you are aware, the Supreme Court of Nigeria in a welter of decisions have pronounced with unequivocality that the appointments of caretaker chairmen or officers to superintend the affairs of local government area councils in Nigeria is a violation of the extant, mandatory and subsisting provisions of Section 7 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and consequently unconstitutional and illegal. The Supreme Court and Court of Appeal clearly reiterated this position of the law in several decisions including: Akpan v. Umah (2002) LPELR-7099 where the Court of Appeal declared:

"..any law made by the House of Assembly which provides for the nomination of membership of a council or appointment of an administrator or caretaker committee to replace a democratically elected council is inconsistent with the clear and unambiguous provisions of Section 7(1) of the 1999 Constitution which guarantees democratically elected local government councils and is therefore unconstitutional to the extend of its inconsistency."

I therefore beseech you sir, as the Chief Law Officer of Ondo State to exercise restraint in taking further steps to legalise the illegality which the Ondo State House of Assembly now seek to perpetrate and legalise through its legislative seal. It must be reiterated that those interested in holding elective offices at the level of local Governments should participate in the process for the election of democratically elected local government chairmen and councillors and win the confidence and trust of the people.

The situation at hand is unacceptable and an afrront on the laws of the land by which a few persons, based on political and other parochial interests, pick and choose individuals to preside over the affairs of this important tier of government. This is putting it in stronger terms, anti-people and inimical to the development of the local councils who are the closest to the people. It is indubitable that these persons are bound to do the biding of their 'benefactors' and pay masters and relegate the interest of the people they were foisted upon to the rear.

Assuming without conceding, as some persons who are wont to justify the illegal appointments by all means may argue, that the Ondo State House of Assembly may have recourse to the Ondo State Local Government (Amendment) Law 2007 to constitute interim committees to administer the existing local government areas and the purported LCDAs, your good office is very well aware that such a statutory provision is inconsistent with the mandatory and superior provisions of Section 7(1) of the 1999 Constitution and consequently null and void, see *Gov. Of Ekiti State v. Olubunmo (2017) 3 NWLR (pt. 1551) 1* where the Supreme Court held that constitution of caretaker committees is permissible only in a state of emergency and since Ondo State is not, the proper thing is to administer the Local councils through democratically elected officials.

2. Appointment of caretakers to 15 LCDAs, an affront to the judicial powers of the High Court of Ondo State.

As you are eminently aware sir, the validity and constitutionality of the Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) recently created vide a bill signed into law by His Excellency, Mr. Governor at Ibadan in Oyo State is currently being tested under the fire of judicial scrutiny before the High Court of Ondo State sitting in Akure in _Suit No: AK/395/2023 Pa Lawal Ibukun Rogbitan & 22 Ors v. Governor of Ondo State & Ors_. It is however baffling for the rule of law and the integrity and magisterial authority of our courts that these LCDAs whose legality and _a fortiori_ their validity is under serious contestant before a competent court of law were also made subject of these illegal appointments despite the fact that the Speaker of Ondo State House of Assembly is a party to the pending litigation.

As you are aware sir, the Plaintiffs comprising well meaning indigenes of Akokoland commenced the action by way of Originating Summons in November 2023 and also accompanied the Originating Summons with a Motion on Notice for Interlocutory Injunction seeking among others, an order restraing the defendants from giving effect to the Ondo State Creation of Local Government Areas law 2023 until the determination of the Originating Summons.

The Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly is the 3rd Defendant in the suit and the Application for Interlocutory Injunction. Respect and deference to the judicial powers and authority of the courts places a mandatory duty on the Speaker as the head of the legislative arm of Government to ensure that the _status quo_ is maintained and nothing is done to jeopardise or render nugatory the decision that the High Court of Ondo State may arrive at on this matter. This is more so because the powers of the State House of Assembly to make laws or perform legislative functions is subject to the jurisdiction of the courts by virtue of section 4( of the 1999 Constitution as amended.

Prayers

1. In the circumstances therefore, this is a humble call to your good self and the esteemed office you hold by virtue of section 211 of the 1999 Constitution (as Amended) to respect the rule of law which is the fulcrum of our constitutional democracy by dint of section 14 of the said 1999 Constitution and prevent further acts of flagrant disobedience to the Constitution and established and ubiquitous judicial decisions of the Supreme Court which have magisterially outlawed the appointments of caretaker officers in a local government system as being unconstitutional and illegal._

2. That your good an esteemed office should immediately in conjunction with the Deputy Governor and other members of State Executive Council set in Motion the election of democratically elected officials to administer the eighteen local councils._

3. Furthermore, that your esteemed office ensures that no further action is taken by any of the parties to Suit No: AK/395/2023 Pa Lawal Ibukun Rogbitan & 22 Ors v. Governor of Ondo State & 2 Ors or their agents and privies in which your esteemed office is a party (2nd Defendant) and the Speaker, Ondo State House of Assembly (3rd Defendant) which may render the judgment/decision of the High Court of Ondo State nugatory or foist a state of helplessness on the court.

Thank you your positive and prompt action on this issue of grave constitutional and public interest implications would restore our dear State on the path of the rule of law which you have always championed and advocated for.

Thank you for your patience.

Yours faithfully,

E- signed
Vincent Adodo, Esq., LL.M

Tinubu is going to be a consensus candidate in the next election. Note this!

[quote author=Helinus post=12710714
Tinubu is the real G. O. A. T

Why? How?

Greatest At All Times= G.O.A.T

You are just a spare tyre, no one reckon with spare tyre unless the original one is burst and unrepairable.

This is an illegal act and the man taking the job will be on the receiving end.

Afterward, the federal govt will pay the bill for his brutalized face. This will serve him a lesson.

Pls, what will be the economic benefit of this strike?

If the strike is for the betterment of the workers and the masses I support it, but if it is for the selfish interest of the Ajaero I will not support it.

If Dino did not vote, after all his wife and children will still vote for him, or are they not in Naija?