Exclusive: LG bosses’ Suspension Saga: APC stakeholders in fresh lobby for ‘TIC’ appointments

…as absence of Kwara CJ stalls council chairmen enforcement suit

By Mumini AbdulKareem

Strong indication emerged last night that stakeholders and members of the Kwara State chapter of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) have already commenced underground moves for possible appointment as Transition Implementation Committee (TIC) chairmen of the Local Governments in the state, National Pilot can authoritatively report.
Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq had suspended the council chairmen for six months acting on recommendation of the Kwara State House of Assembly.
The action has however generated uproar in the state following accusation by the affected council bosses that the act was unconditional and against an earlier court order retraining the Governor and House of Assembly.
The case is presently in court.
It was learnt that party members have been seeking support of top chieftains of the party to be considered in the event of a TIC arrangement.
According to a source, many members of the party have already presumed the governor’s action to ultimately lead to dissolution of the councils, prompting the lobby in earnest.
A reliable party source who spoke on the development last night anonymously because he was authorised to make official comment, confirmed the development, urged party members to allow the investigation into the case of the suspended council bosses to be concluded first and allow the governor and the party take decision on the issue.
According to him, “I don’t believe it is right for them to be looking for appointment now because the local government chairmen who are occupying the position are only on suspension and so, we cannot be thinking of taking their position until when they are dissolved.
“But don’t know what is wrong with our people. Come to think of it, the Governor has not said he is sacking the affected council chairmen, he only said they will be investigated over the allegation. If they are found guilty, that is another issue altogether.
“They are only being suspended for six months and it is when they are found guilty that we call for their sack or retention. A lot of people have been coming to me seeking for assistance for TIC appointment…” he added.
In line with the development, some youth in Magaji Ngeri constituency in Ilorin West last week pleaded with the “authority” to consider the zone for a TIC appointment.
In a statement jointly signed by its chairman and secretary, Taiwo Afolabi and Ibrahim Bukola respectively, the youth appreciated the governor for the promotion of fairness, equity and justice that had been established in his government and appealed to the him, party leaders and elders to balance the appointments in Ajikobi/Alanamu and Magaji Ngeri constituencies in Ilorin West Local Government, which according to them is lopsided.
In line with the development, some youth in Magaji Ngeri constituency in Ilorin West Local Government, last week pleaded with the ‘authority’ to consider the zone for a TIC appointment.
In a statement jointly signed by its Chairman and Secretary, Taiwo Afolabi and Ibrahim Bukola respectively, the youth appreciated the governor for the promotion of fairness, equity and justice that had been established in his government and appealed to him, party leaders and elders to balance the appointments in Ajikobi/Alanamu and Magaji Ngari constituencies in the local government, which they said  is lopsided.
“We are hereby seeking for the position of TIC chairman and an elective one unopposed as long as the positions are from Ajiokbi/Alanamu constituency which is the Governorship, Senator, Chief of Staff, party secretary and chairman and state house of assembly which is statutory”.
It noted that “Our belief is that if the state House of Assembly is not a statutory position to Magaji Ngeri constituency, maybe we would have no position to lay claim to”.

…as absence of Kwara CJ stalls council chairmen enforcement suit

Meanwhile, the absence of the Chief Justice of Kwara State, Justice Sulyman Durosinlohun Kawu has reportedly stalled the hearing of the suit filed by the 16 council chairmen who were suspended from office by the executive governor of the state, Alhaji Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq.
The chairmen, through the office of Wahab Bamidele & Co. filed  contempt charges against the Governor of the State, House of Assembly and the state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice over the issue.
The principal partner of the law firm, Barrister Wahab Bamidele while speaking on the issue yesterday night confirmed that the suit is yet to be assigned to any court where the matter will be heard.
He expressed optimistic that  the matter will be assigned this week, saying the CJ is (now) on ground to ensure that.
But, a source in the state judiciary revealed to this medium that the CJ’s absence stalled the hearing of the matter, adding that the top judicial officer in the state has in the recent time, embarked on official assignments.
The source said, “Immediately the CJ returned from trip abroad, he travelled again to Abuja, he was there for quite a while. But now he is back and we believe all files on his table will be given necessary attention.
Recall that the members of the Kwara State House of Assembly, three weeks ago, recommended the suspension of all the 16 local government chairmen over alleged misappropriation of N33billion, following a resolution of the House after it considered a petition written by one Seidu Aliyu and presented at the plenary.
The state governor, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, however suspended the 16 local government Council executive and legislative committees in line with the earlier recommendation of the State House of Assembly.
The chairmen, during a press conference in Ilorin, said the assembly and governor’s actions were stillborn and a complete waste of time and resources deployed to do the exercise.
The chairmen, since their suspension have been deploying all legal means to fight back and regain their seats even as they described their suspension as unconstitutional, null and void and abuse of office by the members of the Kwara State House of Assembly and governor of the state.
Chairman of ALGON in the state, Hon Joshua Omokanye, said they were democratically elected to the office as chairmen of the 16 local government in the state and were entitled to remain in office till the end of their tenure of office as guaranteed by law and validated by the judgment of the Kwara state high court.
“There is a subsisting and final judgment of the Kwara State high court, Ilorin, delivered on 13th June 2019 in suit No KWS/115/2019 between Hajia Risikat Opakunle and 15 other vs Governor of Kwara state and 2 other that determined that the governor of Kwara state and house of assembly of Kwara state cannot dissolve the local government chairmen in Kwara state or suspend the chairmen during the tenure of their respective offices that will expires on 27th November, 2020.
Efforts to get reaction of the party to the issue was unsuccessful last night as several calls to the Publicity Secretary, Tajudeen Aro did not connect. Response to a text message sent to him was still being awaited at the time of filling the report.