At least 401 chairmen and members of the caretaker committees in the 62 local governments and council development areas in Osun State have tendered their resignation letters on Wednesday.
INFORMATION NIGERIA reports that the development is coming, following the Supreme Court’s verdict on LG financial autonomy.
It was gathered that the Caretaker Chairman of Odo-Otin Local Government Area, Okuku, Adewale Adeyinka, disclosed that he quit office out of respect for democratic principles.
Adeyinka said: “It is with a sense of duty and respect for our democratic principles that I write to tender my resignation from my position as Chairman of the Caretaker Committee for Odo-Otin Local Government, effective immediately.
“As I move on to pursue further opportunities to serve my people, I want to assure you that the good work we have started will not end. I remain committed to supporting the growth and development of Odo-Otin Local Government in any capacity I can.”
Also addresing newsmen on Wednesday, the immediate-past Chairman of the Osun State chapter of the Association of Local Government of Nigeria, Sarafadeen Awotunde, said that all the 69 caretaker chairmen and 332 members in Osun State had resigned.
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When asked to confirm the resignation of the 332 caretaker members and that of chairmen, Awotunde said: “Since we already called them caretaker, I don’t think there is any appropriate word to use than that they resigned. Nobody sacked them.
“Caretakers have temporary time to spend. It means their time is over. If you look at it critically, you will see that the Supreme Court has given a verdict. So whatever is called caretaker now is illegal. So, there is nothing like a caretaker in Nigeria again.”
Meanwhile, the Osun State Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Mr. Kolapo Alimi, also confirmed the resignation of the LG caretakers.
He said: “We have been receiving resignation letters. Those who resigned did so to be eligible for the party primary, preparatory for the local government elections coming up next year.
“The Electoral Act has made it mandatory for whoever will participate in party’s primary to resign from political office first.”
