The Board of Trustees of the Association of Local Governments in Nigeria has refused the alleged move by the Chairman of Bariga Local Council Development Area in Lagos State, Kolade Alabi to act in disregard to pending court case on the association’s leadership tussle.
The Chairman of ALGON BoT, Mr Shaban Shuaibu made the rejection on Thursday during a chat with newsmen in Abuja.
He said, “It has come to our attention that one Mr. Alabi Kolade David, the Chairman of Bariga Development Area, who had falsely assumed the position of National President of ALGON for the past four years ago, has been holding meetings with some five Local Government Council chairmen from across the country.
Shuaibu said his aim was to “legitimise” his further stay in office or to wrongly and unconstitutional install another person as a surrogate just as he had done for a while.
“ALGON, comprising 774 Local Governments in Nigeria, is an integral institution enshrined in Section 8 of the 1999 Constitution, with further reinforcement in Article 4 of the ALGON Acts which clearly show that Bariga Development Area is not part of the 774 Local Governments.
“First and foremost, it is instructive to let the public know that since Alabi’s wrongful claim to the office of the presidency, ALGON has been enmeshed in a series of court cases.
“Thus, any activity carried out by any of the parties in the name of ALGON until the final determination of the cases, is null and void,” Shuaibu declared.
He explained that in the interim, the BoT is mandated to hold and carry out all responsibilities and oversee the affairs of ALGON.
“It is also enshrined in the ALGON constitution that the registered board of trustees are charged to conduct elections into leadership within the shortest period possible.
“It is crucial to highlight that legal recourse has been sought at a Federal High Court in Abuja to address this grievous situation.
“The court’s judgment is being awaited and as the registered trustees of ALGON, we will continue to safeguard our constitutional responsibilities while awaiting pronouncement of the court,” he said.
The ALGON BoT Chairman urged the Inspector-General of Police, the Director-General of the Department of State Services and other security agencies to call Alabi to order.
The suit, marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1609/2023 currently before Justice Inyang Ekwo, has been adjourned until April 30 for judgment.
A Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed April 30 for judgment in the Association’s protracted leadership crisis.
The court disclosed this after its proceedings in February.
ALGON had been embroiled in a leadership crisis after the National Executive Council of the association sacked Akolade David as its president, claiming he was not eligible to occupy the position.
