Following last Friday inauguration of some local government chairmen by Senator Abiola Ajimobi, some members of the local arm of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the newly created Lagelu West Local Council Development Area (LCDA) on Monday stage a protest against last Friday’s swearing-in of Abiodun Oladeji as the council’s caretaker committee Chairman.
In Oladeji’s stead, leaders, youths and members of the party are demanding immediate swearing-in of Akeem Aransi (a.k.a. Arolak) who was duly screened and confirmed by the state House of Assembly.
As at the time of filing this report, the state police command and the State Security Service (DSS) had waded in, to ensure peace and tranquility in the council as there are signs of impending breakdown of law and order.
A protest letter tagged “Self appointment of Oladeji Abiodun Peter as caretaker chairman of Lagelu West LCDA” and addressed to the governor of the state, Abiola Ajimobi by concerned leaders of the party in the council area, queries why Oladeji who was never screened by the house suddenly got to the screening venue and aborted Aransi’s legislative-backed swearing-in, leaving a sour taste in the mouth of discerning lawmakers who earlier confirmed Aransi.
Those who signed the protest letter are Chief Lokun Olaitan, Hon. Kehinde Olajire, Hon. Oyesola Olusola, Mr. Musa Akinsola, Hon. Bode James, Hon. Gbenga Oladejo and Chief Adeleke Olalere and Alhaji A. Adeleke.
While commending Governor Ajimobi for finding Aransi worthy of the position by seconding his name to the house for screening abinito, the APC chiefs also thanked him for wading into the matter “with a view of righting the wrong perpetrated by a chieftain of the party in the said council area (names withheld).” The loyalists of Aransi also called on the state lawmakers to revisit the matter and ensure that justice is done.
In their letter, the aggrieved party members said Oladeji, the immediate past caretaker chairman of the council area, was rejected by the people and indeed all party organs for allegedly engaging in divisive tactics which pitted party members against one another.
They added, “we are by this letter appealing to your Excellency to order that the authentic candidate whose name was sent to the Oyo state house of Assembly by your Excellency and confirmed by the legislature in person of Akeem Aransi and whose name appeared as candidate number 52 on the official Caretaker Chairmen list released by the house be allowed to assume office as the authentic caretaker chairman of Lagelu west LCDA
Meanwhile a source from the governors office told our reporter that the leaders of the party in the newly created LCDA substituted the name of Oladeji to replace Aransi base on some reasons which was not disclosed to our reporter
The Source said further that the governor only sworn in 55 local government chairmen while the yet to be cleared nominees were yet not sworn in as council chairmen
it would be recalled that members of APC, from some part of the state on Monday protested against the selection of some people as the caretaker chairman by Senator Ajimobi.
