Chief Niyi Ogunwa Oboli (FCA), the Araba 1 of Aye Kingdom, has called on Governor Rotimi Akeredolu to decline assent to the bill passed by the Ondo State House of Assmbly for the creation of 33 additional local council development areas (LCDAs) in the state.
The community leader cited constitutional issue over the proposed Ikale North LCDA in Ondo South area of the State as one of the major reasons the governor can not sign the bill into law.
Starnews Nigeria had reported two weeks ago that Ondo State House of Assembly has passed a bill for the creation of 33 new Local Council Development Areas (LCDA), after it passed through the third reading at the plenary.
According to Oboli, “except necessary corrections are made to the constitutional errors in the proposed bill, Governor Akeredolu can not sign the bill into law, otherwise, it would lead to constitutional crisis”, the Chattered Accountant said on Thursday in a telephone conversation with Starnews Nigeria.
The Chattered Tax Management Consultant explained that neither Akeredolu nor the state government has the power to put a state constituency under another in the name of creating LCDAs in the state.
He said, “if the proposed headquarters of Ikale North LCDA is truly in Igbotako community in Okitipupa Constituency I, then it is constitutionally wrong to put Ode Aye Community in Okitipupa Constituency II under it. The two communities are under two different state constituencies.
“Neither Governor Akeredolu, nor the state government has the power to put a state constituency under another in the name of creating LCDAs. Ode Aye in Okitipupa constituency II cannot be under Igbotako which is in Okitipupa Constituency I. The governor and the state assembly do not have the constitutional power to do so. Such power does not lie with any state governmemt in Nigeria”, chief Araba said.
In his recommendation, the world bank management consultant however advised governor Akeredolu to decline assent to the bill and do necessary correction by creating a new LCDA for Ode Aye or allow the status quo to remain whereby Ode Aye is under Okitipupa local government instead of the new arrangement that could cause constitutional crisis.
“It is my recommendation that Governor Akeredolu should create a new LCDA for Ode Aye as requested by the community. Aye Kingdom is bigger than Igbotako in terms of size – population and land max. According to the last census in 2006, Ode Aye is the second largest community in Okitipupa local government area after Okitipupa town. It stands against logic to put such a community under Igbotako which is also outside the jurisdiction of Okitipupa state constituency II that Ode Aye belongs.
“Alternatively, to avoid constitutional crisis, I also recommend that the governor should allow the status quo to remain whereby Ode Aye is under Okitipupa local government instead of the new arrangement that could cause constitutional crisis.
“Mr governor should not poke the bear. He should allow the sleeping dog lie. If he is creating LCDA for Igbotako, so be it. We thank him for doing that. Aye as a Kingdom does not have any issue with that. Both communities have been in good relationships, coexisting with one another since time immemorial without any issue or hostility. We beg Mr Governor not to create issue now or any hostility between the duo. He should correct this anomaly by approving the request of Ode Aye for an LCDA or allow the status quo to remain”, the chattered engineer added
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