AICO Urges Governor Aiyedatiwa to Respect Supreme Court Ruling on Local Government Autonomy

The Arogbo Ijaw Community Organization (AICO), a socio-ethnic organization of Ijaw Arogbo in Ese-Odo Local Government of Ondo State, has issued an open letter to the Governor of Ondo State, Hon. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, expressing urgent concerns over the planned inauguration of outlawed Transition Committees into the 18 Local Governments and 33 LCDAs.

The statement reads in full below:

OPEN LETTER TO OUR DEAR GOVERNOR OF ONDO STATE, HON. LUCKY ORIMISAN AIAIYEDATIWA

We, the Arogbo Ijaw Community Organization (AICO), a socio-ethnic organization of Ijaw Arogbo in Ese-Odo Local Government of our Sunshine/Ondo State, write to Your Excellency with all hearts of modesty on behalf of our people.

This open letter is written in view of the exigency and urgency it demands, especially as it concerns the planned inauguration of the outlawed Transition Committees into the 18 Local Governments and 33 LCDAs created by your late boss and former Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu, SAN. May his soul rest in peace. There is no doubt that he meant well for the grassroots of the state in his bid to bring more rapid development to the people of the state.

However, we write to strongly express our rigid opposition to the planned inauguration of the 33 LCDAs, having been outlawed by a competent court of law in the exercise of its jurisdiction, coupled with the decision of the apex judicial authority, the Supreme Court of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, in its landmark judgment on Local Government Autonomy, today, Thursday, 11th July, 2024. This is to avert possible intra/inter-state constituency crises. It is to be noted that Ondo State has been the most peaceful in the country. Mr. Governor’s zeal towards the appointment of outlawed Transition Committees and their planned inauguration is an assault on the rule of law and a reckless resort to self-help, which undermines constitutional democracy.

Again, to be specific, we have lived peacefully with our Ijaw APOI brothers for numerous decades. We have a mutual gentleman’s political agreement of our shared values aside from how we alternate political offices. If the planned inauguration is not halted, the peaceful and zealously guarded relationship between us would be altered contrary to our wish.

Permit us to humbly state that, in line with the shared alternate political arrangement, it is the turn of Arogbo Ijaws to produce the next democratically elected Chairman of Ese-Odo Local Government, while they produce the Honourable member at the State Assembly who represents the state constituency currently. Any deviation from this may inevitably truncate our peaceful coexistence.

We are convinced that, through the oath of allegiance the governor has sworn to protect, he holds in high esteem the democratic principles and rule of law of our dear state.

We appreciate Your Excellency for the anticipated consideration of this golden advice. It is a bid to prioritize the will of the governed and the constitution over political expediency.

Again, thank you for the appointments so far. As Oliver Twist, we seek more, in the build-up to the gubernatorial election scheduled for November 2024.

Sincerely,

Mr. Suffy Uguoji,

PRO, AICO

Deacon James Ashidi,

Chairman, AICO

11th July, 2024