An Akure High Court, in Ondo state has declared as illegal of the creation of 33 Local Government Development Areas by the State government.
Justice Adegboyega Adebusoye, on Thursday, in his verdict described the LCDAS signed into law by late governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu as inchoate and not lawfully created.
INFORMATION NIGERIA learnt that Akeredolu had in September 2023, signed the bill establishing the councils into law after it was passed by the state House of Assembly members.
The newly created LCDAs are co-existing with the 18 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in the state, bringing the total into 51.
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Justice Adebusoye in his judgment agreed with the suit of the Akoko leaders and held that the creation of the LCDAs did not comply with sections 7 and 8 of the 1999 constitution and that there was no equitable distribution of the council areas among the existing local governments.
Reacting to the development, the leaders under the leadership of registered trustees of Akoko Development Initiative (ADI) who filed the suit on behalf of themselves and the people of Akoko land, hailed the decision of the court to nullify the creation of the LCDAs.
The leaders in a statement signed by the claimants in the suit including former Speaker of State House of Assembly, Hon. Bakitta Bello, Matthew Ofosile, and Lawal Rogbitan said the judgment of the court represented the true position of law and the aspiration of the people of the four local governments of Akoko.
The statement partly reads: “The Court did not only make informed declarations that support our position, it granted sufficient reliefs to safeguard the aspirations of the Akoko people and indeed, other ethnic groups in Ondo State to coexist with one another in a peaceful environment conducive for even and sustainable development in our political, social, religious and economic life.
