RE: AGBOOLA AJAYI CONDEMNED JUDGMENT NULLIFYING 33 LCDAs!
Our attention has been drawn to the unsavory statement credited to Agboola Ajayi, the Gubernatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo State with regards to the judgment of the High Court of Ondo State sitting in Akure which nullified the 33 lopsided additional Local Governments (LCDAs) created by the regime of the former Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, SAN of blessed memory. We could have ignored the message and concentrate on our struggle but for the fact that Agboola Ajayi is aspiring to become the Governor of Ondo State and being the candidate of the Peoples Democratic party, and such divisive statement emanating from him, if left unchecked, could wear the toga of truth.
The Statement credited to Agboola Ajayi is laced with a lot of provocative and baseless assertions. For instance, Ajayi in his reaction to the landmark judgment which has just set Akoko and other parts of Ondo State free from what would have been a perpetual slavery under some blocs who are not up to it in population and size, insinuated that Governor Lucky Ayedatiwa was the one behind the suit and as such might have likely influenced the outcome. This is a serious indictment on the integrity of the Governor of Ondo State and at the same time the Honourable Court.
It is very unfortunate that Agboola Ajayi would make this kind of reckless and flippant statement when he has not read the judgment and when he does not know the claims of Akoko people in the suit. The speed with which Agboola Ajayi condemned the judgment within 5 hours of delivery only goes to show the kind of person that Agboola Ajayi is.
This is Agboola Ajayi, a former Deputy Governor who fought his Principal Akeredolu to a stand-still using the same court that he is now condemning because of governorship ambition. But for the judiciary, Agboola Ajayi would have been removed as a Deputy Governor by the government of late Akeredolu. Does it mean that Agboola Ajayi compromised the court to sustain himself in office as he is now condemning the same court that has just done justice to Akoko people and the other cheated communities in Ondo state?
Agboola Ajayi has shown from his remarks that he does not like Akoko people and does not have their interest at heart if he becomes Governor. Beyond his hatred for Akoko people, the PDP candidate has shown his inability to do justice in the redistribution of the scarce resources of the state without fear or favour. With the biased opinion of his against a competent court, Agboola poses serious threat to the judiciary if allowed to govern this state. He has openly expressed his readiness for travesty of justice if given the opportunity to lead this state.
Has Agboola Ajayi asked himself whether it is fair and equitable for 2 Local Governments with half population of Akoko with 4 LGs to be sub-divided into 8 LCDAs while Akoko with 4 Local Governments is divided into a mere 9 LCDAs?
Has Agboola Ajayi asked himself whether it is right or wrong for a Governor of a State to shift his office to another State and be administering the State from another State to the extent of signing a law as important as Ondo State Creation of Local Government Law 2023? Is he saying he would relocate Alagbaka to Abuja or Lagos if elected? Where is the territorial integrity of Ondo State that Agboola should have protected?
Has Agboola Ajayi ever read Section 8 of the 1999 Constitution as amended as it concerns the procedure for creation of additional Local Governments?
The comments of Agboola Ajayi only goes to show that he is a man that is not deep in law notwithstanding the fact that he is a lawyer but very shallow in legal reasoning and would be susceptible to taking hasty, uninformed and insipid decisions if elected as the Governor of Ondo State in November 2024.
Agboola Ajayi doesn’t need to apologize to Akoko people and the rest of those who felt short-changed by the controversial creation of the LCDAs. Character is like smoke and cannot be hidden. He has shown us his true colours and how juvenile he would be if given a chance to lead.
Akoko is not joking and the people are not taking this issue of lopsided LCDAs lightly as we are ready to declare anyone working against the interest of Akoko on this issue as enemy of Akoko People. Akoko People do not also pray that whoever will raise this issue again and subject Akoko People into second slavery after the court has liberated us through this Landmark Judgment will ever win a Governorship election in this State.
The Governor of Ondo State cannot but accept the verdict of court on this issue that has returned the State to the original 18 Local Governments status in good faith and we also urge the Governor to respect the judgment and suspend anything like creation of LCDA in Ondo State until equity, fairness and fair play can be brought to bear. The law is sacrosanct and respects nobody. The Governor cannot and will not subvert the law.
Affliction shall not rise again!
AMUDA TAIRU ABIOLA
National Secretary,
Akoko Consultative Forum (ACF)
