Fayemi Can’t Dissolve Ekiti Councils, Says Ikole LG Boss

The Chairman, Ikole Local Government Area of Ekiti State, Mr. Wole Ayeni, has  debunked the rumour that the local government councils in the state would be  dissolved very soon with Dr. Kayode Fayemi, taking over the reins of power in the  state.

He is also of the opinion that what happened in Ondo State when Dr. Segun Agagu was  removed as governor and replaced by Dr. Segun Mimiko could not happen in the case of  Ekiti State, saying that the 16 local councils of Ekiti State remain intact and that  there are differences in the materials and facts in the two cases.

According to him, Governor Fayemi does not have the absolute powers on the local  councils, according to the Local Government Administration law as amended in No 6 of  2001, 23 B(i), which states that provided always that the Governor is empowered to  dissolve local government councils for overriding public interest, subject to the  2\3 majority approval of members of the state House of Assembly.

“If we are to look critically at the meaning of this as it affects us in Ekiti,  there are 26 members in the assembly here and the majority to carry out the clause  will be 18 members, but we have equal numbers from the two political parties that  formed the House. I can say authoritatively that the 13 PDP lawmakers in the House  are loyal and have again resolved to remain loyal to the party to the end.

“Equally, the issue of Ondo State does not apply here because, while there was a  court order stopping the conduct of the Ondo State local government elections, there  was no such order on Ekiti State Independent Electoral Commission (EKSIEC). The  election was constitutionally conducted and registered parties participated, while a  political party is at liberty not to field candidates for a particular election, it  is not compulsory.

“Furthermore, with regards to the case in court, the new helmsman in the state has  vowed to respect the Constitution of Nigeria and all other relevant laws, we shall  wait and see,” he stated, adding that he is aware that some people have started to  make moves at taking over the local government council illegally. He advised such  people to wait and contest election in 2012, when tenure of the incumbent chairmen  must have expired.

Ayeni noted that the governor is a product of the rule of law and therefore advised  him to leave the local governments alone and allow the judiciary to do its job.

The victory of Governor Fayemi, according to him, is God ordained, noting, however  that there is difference between making a name and making history.

According to him, during the last local government election in the state, Action  Congress of Nigeria (ACN) abstained, while the election was conducted, won and  winners declared, adding that in case the governor has forgotten, the ACN went to  court to challenge the legality of the election and lost, but the case is still  pending at the Appellate Court and as a result, should, in the interest of the rule  of law, allow the judiciary to dispense justice first, at least, before taking any  action.

The council boss also said it is wrong for the governor to have ordered the freezing  of the accounts of the councils even before he was sworn in, adding he does not have  the constitutional powers to do so.

According to him, the right that the governor has for now is that he can only  suspend a chairman and this is subject to confirmation by the House of Assembly,  warning that he should not be allowed to be dragged or pushed or power-drunk to  combine the executive with legislative powers.

He reminded the governor that a man who lives in a glass house should not throw  stones and that he became the governor through the application of the rule of law  and as such, must also respect it and hold it sacrosanct.

On the issue that the governor has promised to probe the past administration, Ayeni  said nobody is losing sleep over that.

According to him, “the records are there, what the people will not like is a  witch-hunting kind of probe. Ekiti State belongs to all of us and nobody is running  away; we shall not abandon the people who voted for us in the name of probe. We are  sure we have a clean slate in our different council areas.”

Debunking the rumour that the council chairmen have abandoned their respective  councils after the judgment, Ayeni said they have no reason to abandon their duty  posts, pledging to always defend the mandate given to him by the electorate

According to him, there was no law barring the council chairmen from performing  their statutory roles and at no time did any of the chairmen run away, stressing  that “we have been performing our roles as recommended by law and that there was no  law restraining us from discharging our duties.”

The council boss also denied the allegation that the councils were looted at the  wake of the Appeal Court judgment, saying it was a tissue of lies targeted at  denting their reputation and that it would be a great disservice to the people of  their respective councils if the council chairmen engage in any form of corruption  as a result of change of government.

“Ekiti is a homogenous state and we should be able to work together with the present  situation. We speak the same dialect in Ekiti and this makes us unique in this  country, so we cannot because of a change of government involve ourselves in any  corrupt practices because we are one and we will continue to be so, he enthused.”

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