Former ALGON executive in Oyo State, otherwise known as Forum 68, comprising of 68 ex-LG Chairmen, 68 ex- Vice Chairmen and 610 Councillors under the late Gov. Abiola Ajimobi administration on Thursday, 17th October 2024 holds a get-together and media parley to assess their journey so far.
The program which held at ALGON secretariat, Ringroad Ibadan featured prayers from both Muslim & Christian clerics.
The gathering disclosed that it had lost about 27 former Local Government Chairmen, Vice chairmen, as well as councillors since 2019.
This was made known by the former state chairman of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, Ayodeji Abass-Alesinloye, who’s also the Chair of Forum 68 during a get-together of Forum 68 (former Executive Chairmen of Local Government in the state).
He said, “Out of 746 past chairmen, vice chairmen and councillors during the late former Governor Abiola Ajimobi, the party has lost some of its most committed party members in the state. We have lost four former chairmen, four vice chairmen and 19 councillors”
The gathering also specially offered prayers to the soul of the former Governor of Oyo State, Senator Abiola Ajimobi and to the souls of other departed party men and women in the State.
Alesinloye stated that the Forum was a child of necessity, a product of their political ingenuity to continue the struggle for grassroots development, defence of constitutional democracy, and rule of law, after the State Governor, Seyi Makinde, illegally dissolved elected chairmen in the state.
He said, “A spontaneous, unconstitutional action of the governor carried out on the first hour of his swearing-in to office.This action of Governor Makinde was eventually declared illegal, unconstitutional, null and void by the Supreme Court of Nigeria on May 7, 2021, with a cost attached and full payment of our salaries and entitlements ordered to be paid.”
He therefore dedicated the unique victory to the late Ajimobi and prayed to God to repose his soul.
On local government autonomy, the former ALGON chairman said the party was fully in support of a fundamental necessity to grassroots and national developments.
“But our people should not see the recently granted autonomy by the Supreme Court in the case of the FGN vs State Governments as a mere government-to-government affair.“
It’s a call to duty for more popular participation by the people to guarantee free and fair elections, allocations and budget monitoring, project choice, and implementation monitoring. This is to make sure that transparency, integrity and accountability are not compromised,” he added.
Responding, the state Acting APC chairman, Olayide Abas, called for unity of purpose among the party chieftains and followers so as to return the lost glory of the party in the next elections.
Among the dignitaries were Senator Ayoade Adeseun, former Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Asimiyu Alarape, the Public Relations Officer of the party, Adewale Sadare, party bigwigs, past political office holders and many others.