APC warns Oyo chairmen against backing Gov Makinde on LG autonomy stands

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State has issued a warning to local government executives and career officers against aligning with Governor Seyi Makinde’s challenge to the Supreme Court ruling on local government financial autonomy.

The APC cautioned that failure to distance themselves from the governor’s actions could result in legal consequences.

The party’s publicity secretary, Olawale Sadare, criticized Governor Makinde for allegedly disrespecting constitutional democracy and the rule of law.

Sadare accused the governor of harboring ambitions to separate Oyo State from Nigeria and positioning himself as a central figure. Notably, Governor Makinde has been the only state governor to criticize the Supreme Court’s decision, calling it a distraction.

He has also formed a special committee to review the judgment and propose recommendations to maintain the existing joint account arrangement between the state and local governments.

The statement reads, “The whole world did not realize the magnitude of damage done to the third tier of government in Oyo state in the last 62 months until Gov. Makinde came out openly to castigate both the federal government and the Judiciary on the issue of financial autonomy.

“The governor has been fighting tooth and nail to promote an unpopular call for a reversal of the verdict which has been described, by most people, as a victory for the masses. Unfortunately for Gov. Makinde, his recent actions have confirmed the allegations bothering on the embezzlement of council funds being levelled against him by our Party (APC) and others.

“It is now crystal clear that the PDP governor had mapped out an 8-year plan aimed at looting LGA funds but got his dream truncated by the celebrated verdict of the Supreme Court. For the avoidance of doubt, the decision of the Apex Court remains sacrosanct even if he (Makinde) refused to agree to it.

“Meanwhile, Oyo state is a fraction of the nation called Nigeria and it is wrong for a governor to claim ‘sovereignty’ even as he depends on the federal government handouts and allocations to pilot the affairs of his state.

“On the final note, the reported withdrawal of the imposed 33 council chairmen from ALGON is just a smokescreen as we are aware of a script already handed to them by their principal.

“There is absolutely nothing Gov. Makinde can do to make him the recipient of the allocations due to 33 LGAs again and any chairman or career officer who compromises the provision of the law on account of blind loyalty or unfounded fear would pay for it as efforts are also in top gear to make the governor and other accomplices account for the trillions of naira already mismanaged at the expense of the LGAs.”