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The Supreme Court has reserved judgement in the case between Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON), Oyo State Chapter and Oyo State Government, till May 7, 2021.
The apex court reserved judgement on Wednesday after hearing the case in Abuja.
Recall that Oyo State governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde had sacked all elected Council chairmen and executives shortly after he was sworn in on May 29, 2019, despite a court judgement by an Oyo State High Court restraining the governor of the state, the state House of Assembly and agents of government from sacking the them.
But the government under Makinde approached the Court of Appeal and sought to quash the order, telling the court that the injunction was speculative because he had not been sworn-in as governor when it was obtained.
In a unanimous judgement of the Court of Appeal, read by Justice Simon Haruna Tsammani, supported by Justices Olujinmi Bada and Afolashade Ayodeji, the judgement of the lower court was set aside on the grounds that it was speculative and premature at the time it was obtained because the incumbent administration had not come to power then.
Speaking on the forthcoming Supreme Court judgement, the chairman of ALGON, Prince Ayodeji Abass-Aleshinloye, in a statement, said: “As a body, that believes in the rule of law, we have painstakingly followed this line of honour till date and in due course, history will vindicate us.”
He added: “I therefore urge our members, our party faithful and society at large to be patient for the final pronouncements of the Apex Court on this matter.
“There are several pronouncements of the Supreme Court, similar to our case, where the Apex Court held that the governor of a state can not remove the democratically elected Council Chairmen and Councilors and we believe that our case will not be an exception.
The rule of law shall prevail and we shall triumph at the end of the day.
“It is not how soon or how long but how fair or good we stand at the side of posterity. We appreciate the independent and objective media for their conscientious reportage throughout our tedious but necessary legal and political journey to restore democracy and rule law to the grassroots government in Oyo State and Nigeria.”