Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State, a member of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, has directed newly appointed transition committees to resume duties in the state’s 18 local government areas and 33 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs), despite a Supreme Court ruling granting financial autonomy to local government councils nationwide.
The directive, conveyed by Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Amidu Takuro, aims to prevent operational vacuums. The state’s Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Kayode Ajulo, previously defended the appointments as constitutional.
Recently, Aiyedatiwa appointed 357 committee members following a High Court nullification of the 33 LCDAs. Although the Supreme Court mandated fiscal allocations only to councils with elected chairpersons, Takuro stressed compliance with electoral laws during meetings with the committees. He clarified that the committees, appointed by the Governor, commenced operations without formal inauguration, citing procedural requirements and ongoing discussions among Governors.