Sacked Oyo LG Chairmen warn banks, civil servants against funds approval, disbursement to Caretaker Chairmen

End may not have come to the impasse over the management of local government councils in Oyo State as the state chapter of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) has cautioned bankers and finance heads of the local government councils against approval of funds to the just inaugurated Caretaker Chairmen in the state.

Governor Seyi Makinde

Standing on dictates of the constitution and Supreme Court rulings as recognising only elected local government Chairmen, the ALGON held that any approval or disbursement was illegal and tantamount to an attempt to defraud the revenue of local governments.

As contained in a letter signed by its Chairman, Mr Ayodeji Abass-Aleshinloye and Secretary, Mr Jesutoye Oluyinka, ALGON warned that any banker or civil servant who signs such disbursement of LG funds incriminated and rendered himself/herself liable to criminal prosecution for conspiracy and fraud.

Decrying what it called serial breaches of the rule of law by Governor Seyi Makinde, ALGON described the recent appointment of caretakers for 33 local government councils and 35 local council development areas as a flagrant display of irresponsibility and mere jokes for public grandstanding with no force of law.

Further holding to nation’s 1999 constitution (as amended), the NFIU guidelines and Joint State/Local Government Accounts as being backed by law, ALGON argued that any voucher signed by or authorised by Caretaker Chairmen, who were not constitutionally recognised, will amount to attempted fraud.

Maintaining that its member’s election as local government Chairmen subsisted since it had not been voided by any court, the association maintained that it remained approving signatories with the Finance and General Purpose committees of the Councils over Council funds.

Adding that it remained the confirming signatories for payments out of local government accounts, ALGON held that its members being signatories cannot be changed without recourse to law.

The letter read, in parts: “We are compelled to openly issue this letter of caution to the purported Caretaker Chairmen, Bankers to all Oyo State Local Government Councils, LCDAs, civil servants in our dear state and all Local Government staff across our Council Secretariats, to strongly avoid being put under duress by the Oyo State government to partake in another man’s sin, by not allowing themselves to be used to further and foist what is clearly an illegal and fraudulent administration over our Local Government Councils and LCDAs in Oyo state.

“We emphatically restate that there is no law in Oyo State creating a Caretaker Chairman’s office over any Local Government Council and LCDAs, hence the recent purported appointments of Caretakers is a flagrant display of irresponsibility, and mere jokes for public grandstanding with no force of law.outh-

Therefore, any document executed, or directed to be executed by the usurping Caretakers shall be illegal and a calculated fraud against the council.

“Similarly no bank, HLA/DAG/DFA can legally honour the signature of any Caretaker chairman on any confirmations nor disregard our approving signatories as elected chairmen otherwise such civil servant, staff, account officers, bank managers and their collaborators shall be liable for fraud on the revenue of state and criminal breach of trust.”

Meanwhile, Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has charged all the newly sworn-in 68 local government chairmen across the state to immediately get down to the business of governing their various councils.

Makinde, represented by state Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Mrs Funmilayo Orisadeyi, during a maiden meeting with the council bosses at the House of Chiefs, House of Assembly Complex, Agodi Secretariat, Ibadan, at the weekend.

Noting the enormity of the task before the council bosses, Makinde urged them to key into the four cardinal points of his administration: health, education, security and economy (Agro-based).

“It gladdens my heart to have you around and to congratulate you on your appointments and at the same time welcome you on board as partners in the progress of our Oyo State.

“You will notice that, right from the outset of the inauguration of His Excellency, Engineer Seyi Makinde as the Governor of Oyo State, he has started work in earnest, hence the tag ‘Ise Ya’.

“In the same vein, I am imploring you to see yourself as ‘Ise Ya’ person. Be ready to work. Looking around, you will notice that a lot needs to be done in order to cover the lost glory which I am quite sure you are aware of,” Makinde said.

(TRBUNE)