Fayose argued that nobody can emerge as a local government chairman without the backing or blessing of the state governor
By Kehinde Okeowo
Former Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose has said the Supreme Court’s judgement, which granting financial autonomy to local governments will not stop governors from installing or controlling council chairmen.
He made this known recently while featuring on Channels Television programme ‘Politics Today’.
According to him, nobody can emerge as a local government chairman without the backing or blessing of the state governor.
The former governor further noted that despite the judgment, state governors and the state House of Assembly would always control the affairs of local governments, including finances.
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Speaking during the interview, Fayose said: “I am not a lawyer. I am a politician and by God’s grace today, I am an elder statesman.
“While I love and do not believe that any government should take local government funds, may I say to you very clearly this evening that you cannot take the baby from the mother?
“There is nobody that can become council chairman without a governor. Anybody telling you otherwise is wasting his time.
“Let me quickly remind you that the House of Assembly of every state controls the activities and checkmates the activities of the local government.
“While I was governor, I had the privilege of receiving money from Abuja. When you receive money from the account, some people manage the account. They are not politicians or the council chairman.
“Any council chairman who says ‘money is coming to me, I will disrespect my governor’ the House of Assembly will tell you to go and disobey him inside your house.
“This is because you can never even be a council chairman without the governor standing up for you. The House of Assembly regulates your activities.”
Last week Thursday, the Supreme Court ruled that Federal allocation meant for local governments should be paid directly into their accounts.
Justice Emmanuel Agim who read the verdict on behalf of other judges also prohibited the governors from receiving, tampering with, or withholding funds meant for local governments.
The court also barred the governors from dissolving democratically elected officials for local governments and deemed such actions a breach of the 1999 Constitution.