PDP kicks as Aiyedatiwa names transition committees for Ondo LGs, LCDAs

Ondo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, on Thursday, kicked against Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa’s decision to constitute transition committees for the 18 local government areas and 33 local council development areas in the state.

The Ondo State PDP chapter faulted the development.

A statement on Thursday by the Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Ebenezer Adeniyan, said the transition committees would be in charge of affairs of the LGs and LCDAs until the state LG poll is held.

The statement partly, “The transition committees are to oversee the affairs of the LGs and LCDAs in the state until the local government election is held by the electoral body.

“Meanwhile, the state government is currently examining the concerns raised by some communities over the delineations carried out during the creation of the LCDAs to make the necessary amendments. The appointment takes immediate effect.”

But the state PDP condemned the Ondo State Government’s action in the creation of the transition committees, describing it as a violation of the court order.

The PDP made its position known in a statement issued on Thursday by the party’s Publicity Secretary, Kennedy Peretei.

The opposition party’s statement added, “The Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, in flagrant disrespect for an Ondo State High Court judgment has appointed transition committees for 18 Local Government Areas and outlawed 33 Local Council Development Areas.

“On Thursday, June 20, 2024, Hon Justice A.O Adebusuoye pronounced the 33 LCDAs created by Rotimi Akeredolu’s administration as inchoate and unlawfully created. The court held that the Local Government Creation Law 2023 was unconstitutional, illegal, null, and void.

“Therefore, it is the height of lawlessness and impunity for Aiyedatiwa to appoint committees for LCDAs that are non-existent in the eyes of the law. The PDP Ondo State Chapter wishes to advise the governor to respect the laws of the land and stop embarrassing the people of the state with his actions that make us laughing stock in the comity of civilized people.”

Recall that an Ondo State High Court sitting in Akure had recently nullified the creation of 33 local development council areas in the state.

The court described the LCDAs, which were created by the immediate former governor of the state, the late Rotimi Akeredolu, as illegal and unlawful.