Osun LGA caretaker bosses resign after s’court judgment

Local government caretaker chairpersons in Osun have been submitting their resignation letters to the state government.

TheCable understands that more than 400 caretaker chairpersons and their committee members who were appointed by Ademola Adeleke, governor of Osun, have tendered their resignations.

A top government official who pleaded anonymity, told TheCable that some of the LGA caretaker chairpersons are resigning because they want to contest the LGA elections.

In February 2024, the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSEIC) announced that elections into the offices of the chairpersons and councillors in 30 LGAs, six development councils, and one area council will take place on February 22, 2025.

The official said the resignation aligns with provisions of the Electoral Act 2022.

“The local government election is coming up. One of the conditions is the resignation for those holding offices on appointment basis. Most of them (caretaker chairpersons) who want to contest the council election are resigning, others are not,” the source said.

The official stated that the gale of resignations should not be interpreted to mean crisis in the LGAs.

Section 84(12) of the act states: “No political appointee at any level shall be a voting delegate or be voted for at the Convention or Congress of any political party for the purpose of the nomination of candidates for any election.”

According to the notice of the LGA elections published by OSIEC, political parties are meant to conduct their primaries between July 22 and August 6, 2024.

BACKGROUND

The resignations may be connected with the recent supreme court judgment on LGA autonomy.

Last Thursday, the supreme court ruled that the federal government should henceforth pay allocations directly to LG councils.

The seven-member panel of justices held that state governments have continued to abuse their powers by retaining and using the funds meant for LGAs.

The apex court also ordered the federal government to withhold allocations of LGAs governed by unelected officials.

Due to the supreme court verdict, some states have been racing to conduct LGA elections.

In an interview with The Nation on Monday, Hashim Abioye, chairman of OSIEC, said the commission is not under pressure to conduct LGA elections.

In August 2023, Adeleke appointed caretaker committees for LGAs in the state.