The lawmakers said they acted within the law to suspend the local council chiefs
A major crisis is looming between members of the Ondo State House of Assembly and the nine suspended Local Government Caretaker Committee Chairmen.
The assembly had last week ordered the suspension of nine out of the 18 local council caretaker chairmen in the State.
The suspension of the chairmen was based on their inability to abide by the lawmaker’s directive to carry out staff audit in their respective councils.
The suspension of the council bosses was the fall-out of the report submitted by the Chairman, House Committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, headed by Afolabi Akinsiku, who represents Ondo West 1 constituency at the House.
The suspended chairmen were consequently ordered to hand over to the Directors of Local Government Administration, while law enforcement agents were asked to take charge of security situation in their respective areas.
The House, acting on Section 3 of the Ondo State Local Government Law, insisted that it has the authorization to sanction erring Council Chairmen to ensure accountability and good governance at the grassroots.
Aside failure to carry out staff audit, PREMIUM TIMEs gathered that most Chairmen allegedly failed to submit budget proposals in their local governments to the State Assembly.
But, the affected Chairmen have apparently refused to vacate their respective offices. They are reportedly poised for war with the legislators as their secretariat offices have been locked up to prevent their would be successors from gaining entry to perform their duties.
This action of the chairmen is reportedly infuriating the lawmakers who continue their sitting tomorrow.
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