Kwara Ex-Councilors Applaud Supreme Court’s Judgment on LG Autonomy, Describe Selves As Victims Of Gov. Abdulrasaq’s “Executive Rascality, Impunity”

By Omowumi Omotosho

The forum of dissolved councilors in Kwara State (2019) has expressed strong approval of the Supreme Court’s landmark judgment of Thursday, which decisively addressed the state’s authority to dissolve duly elected council chairmen and councilors.

In a statement signed by the forum’s chairman, Hon. Salihu Yusuf, the forum lauded the ruling, describing it as a significant victory for local governance.

“This judgment has put to rest the argument over whether the state government has the power to dissolve duly elected council chairmen and councillors,” the statement read.

The forum criticized the actions of Governor Abdulrahaman Abdulrasak, who dissolved the councils in 2019, replacing them with appointed administrators.

“Members of our forum are victims of Governor Abdulrahaman Abdulrasak’s executive rascality and impunity,” the statement further read.

The association referred to the dissolution, which took place on June 18, 2019, following a petition from Saidu Aliyu of Ilorin West Local Government Area. The petition alleged the misappropriation of ₦100 million in IGR, a claim the ex-Councilors forum deemed frivolous and a pretext for the dissolution.

“The petition was deliberated upon by the state House of Assembly on Tuesday, June 18, 2019, and the resolutions were passed the same day. His Excellency, Mallam Abdulrahaman Abdulrasak, graciously approved the House recommendation the same day.

“The speed at which the event took place was a clear breach of Section 29 of the Kwara State Local Government Cap 33, amounting to executive and legislative rascality.” The statement affirmed.

The forum emphasized the constitutional protections for elected officials, noting, “The constitution provides for only democratically elected officials with fixed tenures, and nobody can remove them, just as nobody can remove the state House of Assembly or National Assembly until their period lapses. Unfortunately, they ignored our pleas, and now we have been vindicated by the Supreme Court ruling.”

Also, the ex-Councilors forum called for accountability following the judgment, asserting that, “the affected governors, including the chairman of the Governors’ Forum, His Excellency, Mallam Abdulrahaman Abdulrasaq, should hide their faces in shame with the judgment of the Supreme Court.”

The forum also asked Governor Abdulrasaq to “tender an unreserved apology to the victims of his maladministration and the good people of the state who have been subjected to various degrees of hardship as councils have been turned into mere kiosks without goods for five years.”

The association, therefore, commended various entities for their roles in securing the local government autonomy.

“We commend the Supreme Court, Presidency, relevant stakeholders, and Barrister Lateef Fagbemi SAN, AGF/Hon Minister of Justice, for taking bold steps to right the wrong aimed at making the local government administration system more meaningful and accessible to the masses.” The statement concluded.