By; BAYO AKAMO, Ibadan
Sacked local government Chairmen in Oyo State under the auspices of Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON) on Friday vowed to defend the mandate “freely and fairly given” to them by the people of Oyo State.
The sacked Chairmen in a New Year message, by their Chairman, Prince Ayodeji Abass-Aleshinloye expressed their readiness to, “remain peaceful even in the face of extreme threats and provocation by the Government of Oyo State”.
According to the ALGON members, they are hopeful that the Supreme Court would “uphold its own previous subsisting judgement against illegal dissolution of Councils by any governor or state Assembly.”
“We stand firm on our mandate freely and fairly given by the good people of our respective local government and development areas. We will remain peaceful even in the face of extreme threats and provocation by the Government of Oyo State”, it said.
Oyo ALGON added, “we reaffirm our confidence in the rule of law and the independence of the Judiciary as we look forward to the Supreme Court to uphold its own previous subsisting judgement against illegal dissolution of Councils by any governor or state Assembly”.
“In addition to this, is the sustained illegality and corruption going on at the local government level in Oyo State due to the imposition of unelected local government chairmen by the state government while pending the outcome of the Supreme Court judgment. We remain grateful to God for helping us to weather the storm and keeping us to see yet another year”
The ALGON members then tasked the people of the state to move closer to God as they start another life journey into the New Year 2021, adding, ” drawing closer to God, hardwork with honesty remain the only way they would succeed and achieve their objectives in 2021″
Emphasizing that drawing closer to God remained the only way “to attract His blessings, protection and provision in the new year ” the sacked Chairmen said, “as we end year 2020, let us count our blessings and thank God for everything”
“Let us continue to pray for the best in 2021 and continue to draw closer to our creator because that is the only way we can continue to attract His blessings, protection and provision in the new year as individuals, communities, state and a nation”.
While stressing that despite the challenges of the outgone year, the association lauded the people of Oyo State for their support and perseverance in combating all the challenges experienced in year 2020 such as corona virus (COVID-19) pandemic, EndSARS protests and the subsequent hijack of the peaceful protest by hoodlums leading to looting and vandalisation of private and public properties.
