The Labour Party (LP) in Oyo State has issued a warning to the 33 local government chairmen in the state against forming any financial alliances with the state government that contravene the Supreme Court ruling on local government autonomy. LP Chairman Sadiq Atayese emphasized that the chairmen must be accountable for the use of their allocations, given their role as chief accounting officers of their respective councils.
Atayese noted that the monthly allocations to local governments are public information and reminded the chairmen that their primary responsibility is to the people who elected them, not to any external parties or influences. The Labour Party has raised concerns that the chairmen might be aligning with Governor Seyi Makinde’s opposition to local government autonomy, which the Supreme Court upheld.
Governor Makinde has been vocal against local government autonomy and the Supreme Court ruling, and the chairmen of all 33 local councils in Oyo State have reportedly distanced themselves from the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) to support the governor’s stance. The Labour Party urges the chairmen to act independently and responsibly, focusing on their stewardship and the needs of their constituents.