COURT STOPS SACKED OYO COUNCIL CHAIRMEN FROM FORCEFUL TAKEOVER OF OFFICES

Segun Showunmi in Ibadan

The Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan on Tuesday restrained the  68 sacked Council Chairmen under the All Progressive Congress (APC)   from forcefully taking over the Secretariats of Local Government areas (LGAs) and Local Council Development Areas(LCDAs) across the State.

Penpushing reports that the Court, which was presided over by Hon. Justice Moshood Abass, granted the four reliefs sought by the lead counsel to the Oyo State Government, Dr. Akin Onigbinde(SAN), including an order of interim injunction restraining the sacked chairmen from forcefully taking over the councils or taking steps capable of causing breach of peace in the state.

The orders of interim injunction, which were granted by the court, followed an ex-parte motion filed by the State Government in Suit No: I/28/2020, and also  restrained were the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami(SAN); Inspector General of Police(IGP), Mohammed Adamu; Commissioner of Police, Oyo State Command, Mr. Shina Olukolu and the Oyo State All Progressives Congress(APC) Chairman, Chief Akin Oke.

Penpushing further reports that the parties and their agents were restrained from taking any step that could tamper with Local Government administration, the pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.

The Judge ruled that, the sacked Chairmen, as well as the four other defendants, their officers, agents, privies or otherwise, were restrained from taking steps that would cause a breach of peace by embarking on self-help to give effect to a letter dated January 14, 2020 with reference number HAGF/ OYO/2020/VOL.I/1 issued by Malami to the sacked Chairmen and the Inspector General of Police, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.