Supreme Court judgment: Postpone LG elections, AlaoAkala tells Makinde

Adebayo Alao-akala, former governor of Oyo state and Chairman, Elders’ Advisory Council of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Oyo state, has advised Governor Seyi Makinde to postpone the forthcoming local government election over the sudden reinstatement of democratically- elected Chairmen and Councillors of 33 Local Government Councils by Supreme Court.

Reacting to Supreme Court Judgement, the former governor urged Governor Makinde to postpone Local government elections scheduled for the third week of May, 2021 to a later date in order to protect the sanctity of the nation’s developing democracy.

Recall that the Supreme Court on Friday invalidated the sack of the duly-elected 33 Local Government Chairmen and Councillors in Oyo state before the exit of administration of former Governor Abiola Ajimobi.

Reacting to the reinstatement of Chairmen and Councillors, Alao-akala said, “now that the dust has settled on the legality or otherwise of the sack of the Chairmen, it is trite law for Governor Makinde to see that there is the need to postpone the election.

“Going on with the Local Government election as earlier scheduled will throw the state into another round of legal gymnastics.

“My advise to him is to sit down with the OYSIEC officials, look in to the new development and do the needful which is to shift the election date. Fortunately, the Oyo state Independent Electoral Commission chairman is a Learned fellow.

“He knows what the law says about disenfranchisement, he knows what the Constitution says about holding elections and he knows the consequences of holding a one-sided election.

“Apart from that, both the governor and the OYSIEC chairman have a name to protect. This is an opportunity for Engr. Seyi Makinde to correct his past mistake.

“He should not commit another blunder by going on with that election which hundred percent certain will be faulted again by the judiciary”.

While commending the Supreme Court Judgement for guiding against the unguarded disregard on the sanctity of the Constitution, Alao-akala urged the Judicial Arm of Government to find possible means of fasttracking time-bound litigations that can disenfranchise litigants of their legal rights as is the case of Oyo state ALGON where the final judgment is delivered few days to the official end of the tenure of office of the litigants.