No fewer than Four Hundred and one (401) of political appointees as Caretaker Committee Chairmen and excos in Local Government Council Areas in Osun State have resigned their appointments.
The number of the appointees is spread in the 62 Local Governments Areas and Local Council Development Areas, LCDAs in Osun State
The resignation, ISUIKWUATO VOICE learnt, was not unconnected to the announced Local Government election in the State slated to hold on February 22, 2025.
ISUIKWUATO VOICE recalls that the Chairman of the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission, OSSIEC, Hashim Abioye, had announced a timetable for the conducted of the LG election in the State.
The OSSIEC Chairman had announced February 22, 2025, as the date for the Local Government poll will hold in the State.
According to source, the first of the Caretaker Chairmen to resign his appointment is that of Odo-Otin Local Government Area, Adewale Adeyinka.
Tendering his resignation letter, Adeyinka thanked his people.
He 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.”
He was followed by the Caretaker Chairman of Ede South Local Government Area, Lukman Afolabi.
The duo announced their resignation of their appointment on Wednesday, July 17.
In his resignation letter dated July 17, 2024, Adeyinka, stated that he resigned to pursue further opportunities to serve his people.
Afolabi, on his part, stated that he decided to respect the rule of law. This is coming after the recent verdict of the Supreme Court on Local Government financial autonomy.
“Today, I stopped going to office because I have voluntarily resigned as Caretaker Chairman of Ede South Local Government. The decision is to respect the rule of law,” he wrote.
DAILY POST quoted a anonymous source within the State Government circles that revealed that more Council Caretaker Chairmen have resigned.
“Almost all Council Caretaker Chairmen have resigned. This is in preparation for the February 22, 2025, Council polls,” the source said.
Speaking with The PUNCH on Wednesday, the immediate-past Chairman of the Osun State chapter of the Association of Local Government of Nigeria, ALGON, Mr. Sarafadeen Awotunde, confirmed the development. He said all the 69 Caretaker Committee Chairmen and 332 Exco members in Osun State had resigned.
“Since we already called them caretaker, I don’t think there is any appropriate word to use than that they resigned. Nobody sacked them,” Awotunde said.
“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.”
“In Osun State, there are 30 Local Government Areas, 32 Local Council Development Authorities. Six Area Councils and one Administrative Office.
“The last set of Caretaker Committee Chairmen and members were appointed by Adeleke in August 2023. And their tenure of office was extended by six months in February 2024.
“Their tenure was supposed to end in August, but they tendered their resignation prematurely.
When contacted, the Osun State Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Mr. Kolapo Alimi, confirmed the resignations.
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.”
source: Daily Post and PUNCH
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