The Oyo State House of Assembly has reinstated three council bosses who were initially sacked, following the recommendations of an adhoc committee set up by the House to investigate the petitions against the council bosses.
The council bosses include Mrs Oluwakemi Juliana Akanni (Olorunsogo), Mr Sheriff Adeojo (Ido) and Mr Jelil Adebare Oyinloye (Iwajowa).
The Chairman of the Adhoc Committee, Akintunde Olajide, who presented the report during Tuesday plenary, said, while Mrs Akanni and Mr Adeojo were reinstated on the grounds that they were not guilty of the allegations leveled against them, Oyinloye was asked to return to his position on the ground that his petitioner withdrew the petition against him.
The report reads in part: “In view of the three petitions investigated by the Committee and findings arising from the investigations, the Ad-hoc Committee, pursuant to section 21 of the Local Government Law, 2001 (as amended) hereby recommends for the approval of the House, as follows, that:
“The Chairman, Olorunsogo Local Government, Mrs Oluwakemi Julianah Akanni Ika, having not been found culpable of the allegations levelled against her, be recommended for reinstatement as the Chairman of Olorunsogo Local Government; the Vice-Chairman, Olorunsogo Local Government Mr Badmus Mutiu Adesoji, having been suspended from Office with the Chairman, on the basis of joint ticket, be reinstated as Vice-Chairman of the Local Government”
The committee recommended that the leader of the House of the Legislative Council of Olorunsogo Local Government, who was directed by the House of Assembly to be the Acting Chairman of the Local Government Area pending investigation by the committee, be reverted to the Leader of the House of the Legislative Council immediately.
It argued that since the petitioners from Iwajowa Local Government Area had withdrawn their petition against the Chairman, Mr Jelil Adebare Oyinloye, he should be urged to run an all inclusive government for the purpose of delivering dividends of democracy to his people to complement the efforts of Governor Seyi Makinde.
“The action of the members (councilors) of the Legislative Council of Ido Local Government over the suspension of the Chairman of the Local Government, Mr. Sherif Adeojo is illegal, null and void. The suspension order through the House’s resolution of 9th August, 2022 lacked merit and did not follow due legislative process or procedure as provided under section 20 of the Local Government Law, 2001 (amended).”
The committee recommended that the Vice-Chairman, Barr. Saka Fashola, who was “elected” as Acting Chairman, Ido Local Government Area by members of the Legislative Council, vacates the Office of Chairman and revert to Omi-Apata LCDA as political head immediately, saying Mr Sheriff Adeojo, who was suspended from Office as Chairman, Ido Local Government Area unjustly by the Legislative Council be reinstated as the Chairman with immediate effect.
It further called on the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters to facilitate legislative training for all elected councilors in the thirty-three local government areas in the state for better service delivery, especially legislative business, at the grassroot levels.
Furthermore, as part of the overall resolve of the House to rid the state of cultism and its related activities, a bill to prohibit the act scaled 2nd reading during Tuesday plenary.
The bill, jointly sponsored by the Speaker, Adebo Ogundoyin; the Minority Leader, Asimiyu Alarape and the Party Whip, Isiaka Kazeem Tunde, seeks to abrogate Secret Cultism Prohibition Act of 2000, which seeks to limit cult activities to only few places.
When passed, it would be become an offence to belong to cult groups or engage in cult-related activities in primary and secondary schools, higher schools of learning in Oyo State, and other public places including markets, offices, communities and so on.
Dominica Nwabufo
