16 Ekiti council bosses fail to tie Fayemi’s hands

Apprehensive about their survival under the incoming Kayode Fayemi administration, 16 Local Government Chairmen elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) on Friday approached the court to save their jobs.

However, an Ekiti State High Court refused to grant an order to restrain Fayemi from dissolving the councils, as pleaded by the chairmen.

Dismissing the application in a ruling, Justice Abiodun Adesodun, described the suit as unmeritorious, pre-emptive and speculative.

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Justice Adesodun said there was no compelling fact in the application to warrant the granting of the order.

Nigerian’s News reports that the judge subsequently adjourned the substantive matter to October 22, six days after Fayemi must have been sworn in as successor to outgoing governor, Ayodele Fayose. Fayemi, who was governor from 2010-2014, will be sworn in for the second time on Tuesday, 16 October.

The council chairmen embarked on the pre-emptive move following the change of leadership in the State House of Assembly, where minority members of the All Progressives Congress, teamed up with majority PDP members, some of whom have converted to APC.

The council chiefs led by the state Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) Chairman, Dapo Olagunju, had approached the court seeking an interlocutory injunction to stop Fayemi from sacking them.

The council bosses filed the case through their lawyer, Mr. Obafemi Adewale, while Mr. Tajudeen Akingbolu and Mr. Adeoye Aribasoye appeared for Fayemi.

Counsel to the defendant (Fayemi) challenged the jurisdiction of the court to hear the application on grounds that the matter was speculative.

On Thursday, at the plenary of the State House of Assembly, the lawmakers, with PDP majority elected Mr Ebenezer Alagbada, a former PDP member representing Ise/Orun constituency, as the new speaker.

The Assembly also reinstated the former deputy speaker, Mr Segun Adewumi back to his former position.

Mr Gboyega Aribisogan, former Minority leader , was elected the new leader of Business.

NAN reports that the lawmakers, made up of three APC and 11 PDP Lawmakers, suspended other 12 lawmakers, including former Speaker Oluwawole for 125 legislative days.

At the sitting, Sunday Akinniyi of the APC was elected Minority Leader, Fajana Ojo-Ade, Deputy Leader, Mrs Cecilia Dada, Chief Whip, and Musa Arogundade, Deputy Chief Whip.

Addressing journalists after the plenary, Aribisogan, the new Leader of Business, said Oluwawole and other PDP lawmakers were suspended over alleged complicity in the disappearance of N60 million in the House coffers.