Ondo: Court Stops Inauguration Of LG, LCDA Caretaker Committees

By Ayodele Oni

The constitution of  Caretaker Committees for Local Governments and Local Council Development Areas in Ondo State has suffered a setback.

Some of the members appointed into the Committees had earlier rejected their nomination, while leaders of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in some areas disowned nominees into the Committees.

The legal hammer fell on the exercise on Thursday as  a High Court sitting in Akure stopped the inauguration of Caretaker Committees.

Granting a prayer for interlocutory injunction by the opposition People’s Democratic Party(PDP) the court restrained the inauguration of any person or persons as Caretaker Committee Member in any Local Area or Local Council Development Area pending the determination of the substantive suit.

The PDP had earlier condemned the constitution of the Caretaker Committees describing the exercise by the State House of Assembly as “the shameless screening and approval of Caretaker Committees of Local Council Development Areas and Local Government Areas in flagrant violation of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Government of Nigeria as amended.”

The State Assembly had on Tuesday passed named of those nominated to serve as Chairmen and Vice in the Local Councils and LCDAs.

Justice Yemi Fasanmi, who heard the motion exparte argued by Counsel to the Claimant, Oyewole Awofade, ruled that ” The application is granted as prayed.

“The defendants/Respondents are hereby restrained from inaugurating any person or persons not democratically elected as members of Caretaker to administer the affairs of Local Governments and Local Council Development Areas in Ondo State pending the determination of motion on notice for interlocutory  injunction.

Defendants in the motion are the Governor, House of Assembly, Speaker and the Attorney General. No date has been fixed for the hearing.