Council autonomy: Oyo chairmen pull out of ALGON, to form new association

The 33 local council chairmen in Oyo State have dumped the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON) over the Supreme Court’s judgment granting financial autonomy to councils across the country.

The council chairmen also declared their unalloyed support for Governor Seyi Makinde.

They said that the establishment of the new association would enable them to continue serving the people of the state at the grassroots, adding that the intended association would be registered under the relevant laws of Nigeria.

According to a communiqué signed by all the 33 chairmen after a closed-door meeting, the decision for all to operate under a new association was made as a result of the need to protect and provide for the people in their various councils.

However, ALGON’s Public Relations Officer in the state, Ibrahim Akintayo, described the chairmen’s decision as solidarity to Makinde’s recent stand on council autonomy as ruled by the apex court.

They attributed their unequivocal loyalty to Makinde for his exemplary leadership and unrivalled achievements since his assumption to office.

The communiqué reads in part: “At the general meeting of all the Local Government Councils of Oyo State, held on Saturday, August 3, 2024, in Ibadan, it was voluntarily agreed and resolved as follows:

“That in order to inter alia protect the interest of our people, we should forthwith form an umbrella association. Such organisation will be registered under the relevant laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and its membership shall be institutionally-represented by chairmen of respective local councils.

“That the association shall remain committed to the democratic ideas of the system of local government as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).

“Furthermore, the association shall ensure the delivery of the real development in local councils in the overall interest of the people at the local level.”