By Bolarinwa Kabir
A High Court sitting in Akure, Ondo state capital has declared as unconditional and illegal the creation of the 33 Local Government Development Areas (LCDAs) by the Ondo State government.
The verdict was given by Justice Adegboyega Adebusoye as he described the LCDAS signed into law by late Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu as inchoate and not created lawfully.
Honourable FM reports that the leaders of four Akoko local governments including Akoko Southeast, Akoko Southwest, Akoko Northwest, and Akoko Northeast through their lawyer, Mr. Tolu Babaleye, had dragged the state government to court alleging marginalization in the establishment of the LCDA by Akeredolu’s government.
The Chief Judge, Justice Adebusoye in his judgment agreed with the suit of the Akoko Leaders and held that the creation of the LCDAS did not comply with sections 7 and 8 of the 1999 constitution and that there was no equitable distribution of the council areas among the existing local governments.
In reacting to the judgement, the leaders under the auspices of registered trustees of Akoko Development Initiative (ADI) who filed the suit on behalf of themselves and the people of Akoko land, appreciates the decision of the court to nullify the creation of the LCDAs.
The leaders in a statement signed by the claimants in the suit including former Speaker of State House of Assembly, Hon. Bakitta Bello, Matthew Ofosile, and Lawal Rogbitan stated that the judgment of the court represented the true position of law and the aspiration of the people of the four local governments of Akoko.