Oyo ALGON replies Police Commissioner: We have always followed due process
Oyo ALGON replies Police Commissioner: We have always followed due process
Police boss aware of all actions taken by us — ALGON Chair
The Oyo State chapter of the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON) has said all its action in the current battle to retain their mandate has always followed due process.
Responding to the a Statement by the State Police commissioner, Mr Sina Olukolu advising them on the need to be law abiding and not to take the law into their hands, ALGON said there was no action taken that it did not inform the Police Command.
In a Statement signed by Prince Ayodeji Abass-Aleshinloye, the Chairman of ALGON said all the letters and Court rulings on the face off between the State government and ALGON were made available to the Command.
The Statement reads:
“In as much as we appreciate your timely advice and intervention, we would like to intimate your good office that there is no step we take in this matter that does not follow due process of law. None of the steps taken with due regards to the dictate of law did not go without your knowledge, as letters in respect of the current imbroglio between the ALGON and the State Government are at different times served your office.
Taking you back a memory lane, our letter dated back 31st May, 2019 which was received on 3rd June, 2019 notifying you about the dissolution of Local Government Councils and Local Council Development Areas and even the threat to life that follows. Alongside this, copies of both the Supreme Court judgement which rendered both the Governor and the House of Assembly incapable to dissolve democratically elected Local Government Chairmen and Councillors and judgement of Court of Appeals which they later appeal were all sent to your office for perusal and actions. Equally, a letter dated 2nd December, 2019 and received in your office 3rd December, 2019 hinting you ahead of time about the plan of the Governor to impose an illegal Caretaker Committee to occupy the seats that are yet to be rendered vacant and the likely consequence if they dare carry out this unlawful arrangements.
“With this and other related development, we at ALGON from inception, are not doing anything outside the provision of the law. And we assure you as law abiding citizens, we would not do such. We appreciate your advice and warning but we will appreciate it better if you could extend the same token of advice to Governor Seyi -led administration to take cognisance of the following:
1. May 6th, 2019 High Court judgement on the elected Local Government Officials which his administration has appealed against (pending).
2. The recent Supreme Court judgement which barred all State Governors and House of Assembly from dissolving democratically elected Council Officials and replacing them with illegal Caretaker arrangements.
3. The newly released NFIU guidelines forbidden Caretakers to access Local Government funds.
All these documents are being resent to you again.
If unchecked, this government will make history as the only State Government that will put illegal Caretaker arrangements under your watch.
It is a public knowledge that the Caretaker arrangements for local government administration is no longer fashionable anywhere in the world.
The ALGON is always and ever ready to continue in the path of legality and will do nothing but to always respect the rule of law.