A high court in Akure, the Ondo state capital, has nullified the creation of additional 33 local council development areas (LCDAs) in the state.
Adegboyega Adebusoye, a judge, delivered the ruling on Thursday.
The Ondo state house of assembly passed the bill for the creation of the 33 additional councils on August 15, 2023, after it scaled a third reading.
In September 2023, Rotimi Akeredolu, former Ondo state governor, signed the bill a day after his return from a three-month medical leave.
The 33 LCDAs were to co-exist with the 18 LGAs, bringing the total number of local councils in the state to 51.
Akeredolu died on December 27, 2023, following a protracted battle with prostate cancer. Lucky Aiyedatiwa, his deputy, was immediately sworn in to succeed him.
‘UNCONSTITUTIONAL, NULL AND VOID’
The judge held that it is illegal for a governor to sign a law outside the state he or she governs.
Addressing journalists after the court session, Tolu Babaleye, counsel to the 22 plaintiffs, said the court held that the creation of the 33 LCDAs was “unconstitutional, null and void”.
“We approached this court being the last hope of the common man. And today, the court gave a well-considered judgment which I call a judicial Tsunami, sweeping off all those illegally created local governments in Ondo state,” Babaleye said.
“Apart from that, there was a landmark pronouncement by the court to the effect that no governor is empowered to sign the law of a state outside the shores or jurisdiction of that state because the government has provided for a massive government house for a governor.
“So the governor has no right under the law to go to Ibadan to sign the law. Because of that, the law was nullified, declared unconstitutional and of no effect.
“So as I talk to you now, Ondo state has reverted to 18 local governments.”
