Chairman of the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON), Oyo State chapter, Hon. Ayodeji Abass-Aleshinloye, has raised an alarm of alleged threat to his life and members of his family by agents of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state.
He also said after sending an official complaint to the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Shina Olukolu, that his life and that of his family were under threat, the police boss had turned the other way, without any attempt to secure nor investigate his petition.
DAILY POST recalls that Governor Seyi Makinde of the state had in May shortly after his inauguration, announced the sack of the elected council chairmen in the 33 local governments, and 35 Local Council Development Authority (LCDAs).
However, the chairmen approached the court, initiating a commital proceeding against the governor for flouting the order of the court which earlier restrained the state government from removing the elected council chiefs.
Abass-Aleshinloye, while narrating his ordeal with journalists in Ibadan on Wednesday, said the agents of the PDP have not ceased from chasing after their lives.
He maintained that the state police command had also denied him and his members police protection, having refused to act on an application sent to it by him seeking for police protection.
“There have been serious threats to my life and my family. We can’t count number of threats to our lives. I have spoken with the DSS, I have spoken with the Commissioner of Police.
“He gave me his words, even though, I am yet to see anything done. Up till now, no action has been taken by the police.
“I did a formal protest to the Commissioner of Police, I also applied for police protection, yet no action has been taken by the police. No investigation was initiated. All the CP said was that he is expecting legal advice from his legal department, and it’s been over a month now,” he said.
Aleshinloye stated that the council bosses were not fighting Makinde, but were against injustice and dictatorship.
“We are not fighting Governor Seyi Makinde as a person, but we are fighting that Office, and not even personal fight anyway, but it is based on principle. If Ajimobi were to be in office, quote me, the same thing we are doing now is what we will do.
“I am leading 68 chairmen, and we are not confrontational, we need to help this democracy grow. This is not a military regime, that you just wake up one day and say we remove a democratically elected official. Even, in military era, they will give reasons for the removal, but in this case, no reason whatsoever was adduced.” He said.
However, Publicity Secretary of the state chapter of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Engineer Akeem Olatunji while reacting, said that the complainants were no more council chairmen.
Olatunji, in a telephone conversation with DAILY POST insisted that the sacked council bosses were raising alarm in order to attract public sympathy.
He said, “As far as we are concerned, they are only trying to attract public sympathy. As at today, they are former chairmen because the state House of Assembly has dissolved them.
“What the House did is in line with the constitution. They should wait for the court to decide because the case is still in the court. The case is still at the Court of Appeal. As at today, what they are doing is illegal.
“They are even the one threatening the lives of government officials in the state and PDP members.”
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