The Supreme Court on Friday delivered judgment on the case brought before it by the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON) of the previous administration under the leadership of Abass Aleshinloye against the judgement of the Appeal Court which favoured Governor Seyi Makinde-led government.
The apex court, in its judgement, noted that the the tenures of the sacked Council chairmen and Councillors have expired but all outstanding salaries and allowances must be paid with immediate effect.
The court fined Oyo State Government with a sum of N20million for perpetrating illegality.
In a unanimous judgment of the Supreme Court, the court held that the Oyo State Governor was in contempt of the judgment of the Oyo State High Court by dissolving the local government councils contrary to the order of the trial court restraining the State Governor from doing so and to fulfill all righteousness after the unlawful dissolution of the L.G.A Area Councils rushed and appealed to the court of appeal. In flagrant disregard of the pending applications for injucntions pending before the Court of Appeal, the Governor proceeded to appoint caretaker chairmen. The court found that the case before the trial court discloses reasonable cause of action.
In view of the fact that the tenure of the appellants has lapsed, the court ordered that the Oyo State Government should pay all the salaries and allowances of the appellants from the date of the unlawful dissolution of the till the end of the their guaranteed tenure. Cost of twenty million is awarded against the Respondents and the Attorney General of Oyo State should depose before the court an affidavit of compliance with the judgment on or before the 17th day of August, 2021.
