The All Progressives Congress in Oyo State, on Thursday, disclosed that it had lost about 27 former Local Government Chairmen, Vice chairmen, as well as councillors since 2019.

This was made known by the former state chairman of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, Ayodeji Abass-Alesinloye, during a get-together of Forum 68 (former Executive Chairmen of Local Government in the state), held at ALGON House, Ring Road in Ibadan, the state capital.

He explained that the party had lost four former council chairmen, four former vice chairmen and 19 councillors in the last five years.

He said, ?Out of 746 past chairmen, vice chairmen and councillors during the late former Governor Abiola Ajimobi, the party has lost some of its most committed party members in the state. We have lost four former chairmen, four vice chairmen and 19 councillors.

?68 ex-LG Chairmen, 68 ex-Vice Chairmen and 610 Councillors. This is the story of Forum 68, a Grassroots Movement that metamorphosed from 68 elected Chairmen of Local Government Areas, Local Council Development Authorities and members of ALGON in the state.?

Alesinloye stressed that the Forum was a child of necessity, a product of their political ingenuity to continue the struggle for grassroots development, defence of constitutional democracy, and rule of law, after the State Governor, Seyi Makinde, illegally dissolved elected chairmen in the state.

He said, ?A spontaneous, unconstitutional action of the governor carried out on the first hour of his swearing-in to office.

?This action of Governor Makinde was eventually declared illegal, unconstitutional, null and void by the Supreme Court of Nigeria on May 7, 2021, with a cost attached and full payment of our salaries and entitlements ordered to be paid.?

He therefore dedicated the unique victory to the late Ajimobi and prayed to God to repose his soul.

On local government autonomy, the former ALGON chairman said the party was fully in support of a fundamental necessity to grassroots and national developments.

?But our people should not see the recently granted autonomy by the Supreme Court in the case of the FGN vs State Governments as a mere government-to-government affair.

?It?s a call to duty for more popular participation by the people to guarantee free and fair elections, allocations and budget monitoring, project choice, and implementation monitoring. This is to make sure that transparency, integrity and accountability are not compromised,? he added.

Responding, the state Acting APC chairman, Olayide Abas, called for unity of purpose among the party chieftains and followers so as to return the lost glory of the party in the next elections.

Among the dignitaries were Senator Ayoade Adeseun, former Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Asimiyu Alarape, the Public Relations Officer of the party, Adewale Sadare, party bigwigs, past political office holders and many others. (Vanguard)

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