Governor Hon. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State has taken the decision to indefinitely suspend the sworn-in caretaker chairmen overseeing the 18 Local Government Areas and the 33 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) in the state. The suspension follows a recent court order obtained by the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from an Akure High Court presided over by Justice Yemi Fasanmi.

Justice Fasanmi’s court order, granted as an interim injunction, restrained the late Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu from inaugurating any individuals not democratically elected as members of caretaker committees for the administration of the LGAs and LCDAs. The order also prohibited the caretaker chairmen from operating after assuming office, as they were sworn in before the court order was granted.

In response to this legal development, Governor Aiyedatiwa, through a letter issued by the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs and signed by Alonge Adewale on Wednesday, announced the indefinite suspension of all caretaker chairmen. The letter directed the Heads of Local Government Administration (HOLGAs) in all LGAs/LCDAs to assume immediate responsibility as the acting heads, pending the resolution of all legal matters related to the subject.

The governor’s directive further mandated the suspended caretaker chairmen to promptly submit all assets and properties of the LGAs/LCDAs. One of the affected caretaker chairmen, opting for anonymity, expressed determination to pursue the matter to the Supreme Court. He raised questions about the governor’s decision to dissolve their positions despite securing a stay of execution against the court order, emphasizing their commitment to seeking justice in the unfolding legal dispute.

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