Oyo State Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi with the APC leaders and elders in the state after the inaguration of new LG elected officers

Gbenro Adesina/Ibadan

Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State on Monday swore-in the newly elected Chairmen of the 33 local governments, LGs, and 35 Local Council Development Areas, LCDAs in the State, who emerged victorious at the just-concluded local government election in the State.

The chairmen and chairperson were   sworn in with their vices at the House of Chiefs, situated at the secretariat. The Chief Justice of the state, Justice  Munta Abimbola administered the oath of office to the elected officers.

In his speech, Governor Ajimobi said that the successful conduct of the local government election in the State, which was peaceful, orderly and stood all the verifiable tests of election conduct, locally and globally, has demonstrated and consolidated the quality of the APC led administration in the State.

From left, the Chief Judge of the state, Justice Munta Abimbola, Governor Abiola Ajimobi and APC State Chairman, Chief Akin Oke

“I am happy to note that the overwhelming and enviable position of our APC – led government in the State has produced yet another fruit of democracy by our action today of swearing-in the democratically elected helmsmen of our local governments and local council development areas. Your victory at the polls should be seen and understood as a call to service, which demands a great deal of dedication, commitment and sacrifice.

“Your leadership must also reflect the people-oriented policies, programmes, projects, activities as well as developmental strides in tune with the very-highly commendable repositioning efforts of our administration. You must also note that your overwhelming victory at the polls is a testimony to the confidence reposed in this administration by the good people of the State, who have accepted us and continued to show their support for us in appreciation of our restructuring and transformation efforts”, Ajimobi stated.

Recollecting the efforts at conducting local government election in the state since 2011, Ajimobi noted, “For the records, the local government elections in the State had been fraught with multiple litigation, numbering not less than five cases at the High Court and the Court of Appeal, since 2008 by some former Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission, OYSIEC, members.

“This frustrated the reconstitution of OYSIEC for several years, until 2016. As a peace-loving administration, we mediated with the various warring interests to achieve a resolution in 2016.  OYSIEC was just reconstituted in 2016 with the mandate to conduct Local Government Elections in February 2017. Unfortunately, another case was filed by another group of persons in the Federal High Court, Abuja.

A cross section of newly-elected chairmen and chairperson of LGs and LCDAsi in Oyo State, during their inauguration by the Chief Judge of the state, Justice Munta Abimbola

“Further to our peace and reconciliatory approach to governance, we stepped in again to resolve the issues arising in 2017, thereby paving way for discontinuance of the suit.

“Yet, other well-meaning efforts by our administration were challenged with other floodgates of litigations in and outside the State, even on platforms that lacked such jurisdictions, up till Thursday, 10th May 2018! It has therefore been a long journey from 2007 till date, to institute democratic structures in all our Local Government Councils and Local Council Development Areas”.

Commenting on the low turnout that characterized the election and the boycott of the election by some political parties, he said, “For those who did not participate in the election, we are not perturbed because it is a confirmation of their self-assessment which is indicative of their lack of presence, relevant structures and convincing status in the politics of the State”.

The governor charged the new council officers to live up to the true meaning of democracy which is serving the people and observing the true spirit of Godliness, which is service to humanity.