Suit to stop appointment of caretaker committees in Oyo adjourned

Justice Nathaniel Ayo-Emmanuel of the Federal High Court, Ibadan, on Monday adjourned till May 18 hearing in a suit challenging the appointment of caretaker committee chairmen for local councils by the Oyo State Government

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the adjournment was based on the absence of the respondents’ counsel, Mr Seun Abimbola.

Ayo-Emmanuel held that it would be proper to adjourn since Abimbola, who is also the state’s Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, had written the court in respect of his absence.

Earlier, Mr Olalekan Olanipekun, the counsel to the plaintiffs, had prayed the court not to adjourn the matter.

Olanipekun said that Abimbola was absent because he was at a forum where the list of local government committee members was being presented at the Oyo State House of Assembly.

He argued that if the adjournment was granted, it would affect the request of the plaintiffs.

NAN recalls that Mr Emmanuel Olufemi and Mr Ilori Olubayo had, through their counsel, instituted legal action to compel the government to conduct local council election rather than appointing caretaker members.

Other respondents in the suit are the Independent National Electoral Commission, Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission (OYSIEC) and seven others.

Olanipekun said Section 7 (1) of the 1999 Constitution as well as the Supreme Court had clearly stated that appointing caretaker members into local government councils was an illegal act.