In what looks like a political move seemingly orchestrated to shut out Ibikunle Amosun, immediate past governor of the state, and Adekunle Akinlade, governorship candidate of the Allied People’s Movement (APM) who has just returned to the All Progressives Congress (APC) alongside other Amosun loyalists, Governor Dapo Abiodun on Friday appointed transition committees for 20 constitutionally-recognised local government councils in Ogun State.
By appointing transition committees in the only constitutionally-recognised 20 local government councils in the state, Governor Abiodun cancelled the 37 local council development areas created by former Governor Amosun during the second tenure of his APC-led government in the state.
BusinessDay reports that the immediate past government of Ibikunle Amosun had created the 37 local council development areas in addition to the existing 20 local government councils for which elections were conducted by the Ogun State Electoral Commission (OGSIEC) and winners emerged as chairmen and councillors in all the 20 LGAs and 37 LCDAs.
Recall that the National Executive Committee of APC had recently pardoned former Governor Amosun for anti -party activities allegedly accused of in the build-up to the 2019 governorship elections as regards the subtle political backing given to Adekunle Akinlade of APM, having been denied APC governorship ticket in favour of Governor Dapo Abiodun.
The pardon given to Amosun, who is now Senator representing Ogun Central Senatorial District on the platform of APC as well as Supreme Court’s ruling against the governorship election petitions filed by Akinlade of APM against Abiodun of APC, prompted Akinlade him to collapse his political structure back to his former party – APC with a view to jostling for existing and prospective appointments and elective posts in the party at the state level.
But, as a quick reaction to the rejoining of runaway members of APC in the state, the governor cancelled the 37 local council development areas created by former Governor Amosun and announced appointments of transition committees to the only 20 constitutionally-recognised local government councils in the state.
These appointments came barely one month to the appointments of the 18 commissioner-nominees that would form the Governor’s Administrative Cabinet who are card-carrying members of APC and are expected to participate in the day-to-day affairs of the state.
According to press statement signed and released in Abeokuta, Ogun state capital by Kunle Somorin, Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, the transition committees will be in place until the Ogun State Electoral Commission (OGSEIC) conducts election to pick new council chairmen.
The press release added that the new caretaker committee members were chosen in furtherance of the Government philosophy of inclusive and participatory governance. Each of the committees comprises a chairman, a vice chairman, secretary to the local government and two members
RAZAQ AYINLA, Abeokuta
