Akeredolu dissolves Ondo councils

Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State, on Friday, dissolved all the 18 local governments in the Sunshine State.
A statement by his Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Segun Ajiboye, reads: “Consequent upon the court order setting aside the local government election conducted by the Ondo State Independent Electoral Commission, under the Chairmanship of Prof Olugbenga Ige, on 23 April, 2016, the state Governor has directed that all persons occupying the positions of chairmen and councillors in all the 18 local government areas of Ondo State are to vacate such offices, forthwith.
“They are directed to hand over, immediately, all government properties in their possession to the Director of Local Government Administration in their respective local government.
“This directive is predicated on the order of Honourable Justice Adesola Sidiq of the State High Court, Akure, which found that the 1st and 2nd Defendants, Ondo State Independent Electoral Commission and Prof Olugbenga Ige, the Chairman, conducted the election of 23 April, 2016, “in violation of the mandatory provisions of Sections 1(1) (3), 40, 42, 287 of the Constitution Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, as amended, and Articles 2, 3(1) (2), 10(1), 11 and 13 (1) of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act Cap. A9, the Laws of Federation, 2004,” and, consequently, dissolved all Local Government Administrative set up across all the 18 Local Government Areas of Ondo State.
“The State Government hereby enjoins all citizens to remain law-abiding as this directive is solely based on strict adherence to the order of the court and our unyielding insistence on observing the rule of law at all times and in all situations.
“Elections into all the Local Government Areas shall be conducted as directed by the court as soon as possible”.