33 LCDAs: Aiyedatiwa directs Transition C’ttee to resume despite S-Court verdict

Despite the Supreme Court’s judgement on local government autonomy, Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State, yesterday, directed the 357 members of the transition committees to run the affairs of the 18 council areas and 33 Local Council Development Areas in the state to resume office.

The governor, who gave the order after a meeting with committee members in Akure, directed them to resume duties with immediate effect.

Aiyedatiwa was represented at the meeting by the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr Amidu Takuro.

Justifying the governor’s action, Mr Takuro said that Ondo State was not the only state affected by the apex court’s verdict.

Takuro said: “No fewer than 21 states are affected and this is not peculiar to Ondo State alone.

“The governors will be meeting in Abuja during the week and there is still room for negotiations and there’s no need for rush.

“Judgement does not take immediate effect, even at that, we cannot conduct local government election immediately. There are procedures for election, so, we will study the judgement.

“Again, the Federal Government will not want to punish the local government workers by withholding their salaries or getting their allocation to them, though we have no option than to concur with the judgement, it cannot be immediately.”