Court restrains sacked chairmen, others from taking over Oyo councils

An Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan yesterday restrained the 68 sacked council chairmen from taking over the local government offices.

The court, presided over by Justice Moshud Abass granted the four reliefs sought by the lead counsel to the Oyo State government, Dr. Akin Onigbinde (SAN). They include an order of interim injunction restraining the sacked chairmen from forcefully taking over the local government councils or taking steps capable of causing breach of peace in the state.

Also restrained were the Attorney- General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami; Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar; Commissioner of Police, Oyo State Command, Shina Olukolu, and the Oyo State All Progressives Congress (APC) chairman, Mr. Akin Oke.

The parties and their agents were restrained from taking any step that could tamper with the hearing and determination of the motion on notice
by embarking on self-help to give effect to a letter dated 14th January 2020 issued by the AGF to the council chiefs and the inspector general of police.

The interim injunction by the court was sequel to an ex-parte motion filed by the state government.

It would be recalled that following the letter from Malami asking the sacked council chiefs to go back to their offices, they, on Monday, resumed in their various secretariats.

Meanwhile Governor Seyi Makinde has assured the incumbent council chairmen that nobody could send them away.
Makinde, who spoke yesterday at the Oyo State tax stakeholders’ “Poverty To Prosperity” summit at Prof. Theophilus Ogunlesi Hall, University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan said those scrambling to take over the council leadership would get nothing at the end of the day.

According to him, there is nothing in the local government that is worth anybody’s life.

“I will rather let 100 people that are guilty go than punish one innocent person. There is nothing in local governments that is worth the life of any one of us. The seemingly hot situation will be settled. We will maintain the peace and security in Oyo State.

“I can see some of the caretaker committee chairmen here. They can’t send you away. They will get nothing from all their efforts,” the governor said.