Why I offered Free Legal Services to ALGON Against Governor Makinde’s Illegality- Niyi Akintola

Chief Akintola said he decided to offer free legal service to the embattled council bosses as parts of his contributions to strengthen the party and democracy in Nigeria

He described the victory achieved at the Supreme Court Judgement by the sacked local council chairmen against the current administration as an appropriate action that will further strengthen the local government administrative system in the country.

He stressed  that the judgement would further strengthen attempts by governors across the nation to disregard rule of law and muscle up the local government administrative system.

He also hinted that plans were in top gear to ensure the forthcoming local government elections follow due process and accommodate all interest groups

He said: “I will like to advise you not to spend the money that will be giving to you anyhow, you all know how hard you struggled to get justice over the issue, I will urge you to go for visibility studies, so when you eventually received the money try to invest it on something that will be fruitful, which will be bringing in good fortunes.”

God has indeed rewarded your struggles with the supreme Court Judgement, so whatever the case may be, I don’t want you to leave the party for any whatever reasons, because it is through the party that ALGON exists,” Akintola said.

While encouraging the party members and leaders in attendance on the need to be united, Akintola said his commitment to the progressive fold and sacrificial services were some of the things learnt from the late Chief Bola Ige.

Chairman of Oyo ALGON, Prince Ayodeji Abass-Aleshinloye who led  council chairmen in his remark  said they were around to express their appreciation to Chief Akintola who provided them legal services pro-bono up until the Supreme Court.

Aleshinloye also  said they didn’t take Makinde’s offer so as not to be part of the government’s corruption.

He said “How can you give me money for the work I didn’t do and I have not done. Governor Makinde wanted to pay us last year when we have not done the work. And it is not legal and at the end of the day, it is all about corruption

“If we had collected the money, we were encouraging corruption. And anybody can come up later in the year or in the nearest future to challenge us that we collected money for the work we had not done.

“But, now, any proclamation from the Supreme Court is law. This is law. A judgement has been given, the money is due to us and we can collect it now. When he (Makinde) wanted to pay us, the question was, why will he pay us? Why will he even sack us in the first instance when the court said it’s wrong? Why would you do that? If you had done that and you said you want to pay us, that in itself is corrupt

“For us, if we had collected the money at the time, and when people see us, will they not say it was all about the money?

“But for us, it was not about the money or the office, it is about the rule of law and I am saying it, I personally don’t ever have interest in contesting any local government elections again in my life.

“But the whole idea is for us to show that we want democracy to be entrenched at the grassroot and that is what we have done. We have laid precedence and for generations to come, the sacrifice we have made will always be enjoyed by those who will occupy the office at the local government level.”