By SEGUN AYINDE, ABEOKUTA
Councillors across 20 Local Government Council Areas and 37 Local Council Development Areas in Ogun State have appealed to Governor Dapo Abiodun to prevail on the state House of Assembly to allow them finish their tenure in December rather than sacking them unlawfully.
Recall that the councillors embarked on a peaceful protest against their suspension by the state House of Assembly on account of alleged misapropration of funds in their various council areas.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with The Point in Abeokuta, the state capital recently, spokesperson to the embattled councillors, Hon Azeez Oyedele, accused the state lawmakers of using wrong approach in the matter.
Oyedele, who denied the allegation of misapropration of funds by the elected councils’ officials, said that their suspension was announced without making recourse to due process.
Oyedele, who is the Chief Whip of Abeokuta South LCDA, urged Governor Abiodun to be magnanimoud by allowing them to complete their tenure
Expressing confidence that the governor would consider the best option in addressing the matter, Oyedele said, “It was last week that we heard information on the resolution sent to our various local government areas by the state House of Assembly that the councillors and the executive arms of the local government councils and LCDAs have been suspended.
“We were elected and there is the stipulated tenure that we should spend in office. The House of Assembly does not have the right to suspend the councillors and the executive arm of the local government councils because we were elected.
“There was no letter to that effect and no information was sent to the local government council offices before the suspension was announced.
“We went on a protest to the House of Assembly but Mr Speaker made us to realise that they gave an advice to the executive recommending the suspension and dissolution.
“What we expect from the executive governor is to let us finish our tenure and let our due renumerations be paid.
“We are appealing to the governor because we don’t want some set of people to basterdise his administration. We believe that Prince Dapo Abiodun will do the needful. He had been advised and I am very sure that the governor is a man of justice and will allow us to finish our tenure.”