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The Association of Local Government of Nigeria(ALGON), Oyo State chapter, has commended the state governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde, for the way he has piloted the affairs of the state in his first 100 days in office.
In a statement signed on Friday by its Chairman, Prince Ayodeji Abass-Aleshinloye, ALGON commended the governor for the steps he has taken since assuming office, particularly applauding the prompt payment of salaries to civil servants.
Stressing that 100 days in the life of any administration is its season of maximum goodwill from the people, ALGON however posited that the governor’s “listed 100 days achievements are largely promises and futuristic claims” which people hope will become realities.
The association said it hoped the first 100 days have revealed to Makinde and people of the state “that governance is beyond rhetorics, imagination, creating aliases, media hype or deceptive branding because all these cannot provide the people with qualitative education, functional health services, good road network, security, peace and harmony, employment among others.”
The Local Government bosses, however, slammed Governor Makinde for planning to conduct local government elections in the first quarter of next year.
ALGON said it views the action as “an illegal plan, act of reckless disobedience to court and what the court have consistently called ‘executive lawlessness.”
It noted that since case is still in court with some pronouncements made, it is mischievous, illegal and a disregard of the constitution for the governor to make such plans.
“We reject any further illegal acts from the office of the governor to circumvent the law, ambush the court, and abuse the constitutional oath while our House of Assembly looks away,” the statement said.
The Chairmen advised Makinde to always be factual on issues instead of being spontaneous in acts and echoing hearsays on air.
It said Makinde should emulate his predecessor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi by letting “facts, physical and structural developments in the nook and crannies of the state speak more for themselves and prove whether his ‘new water’ is indeed fresh or recycled from the illicit past of his sponsors.”
“We equally pray that, like water, Mr. Governor’s tenure will be odourless and not lacking necessary policy and well thought out programmes, to deliver good governance to our people,” the statement added.