By Nurat Uthman
Leaders and youths in the newly created Ifesowapo Local Council Development Authority, LCDAs, in Ondo state, have rejected the chairman and Vice Chairman, appointed by the state government.
The same scenario played out in Odigbo council area, where, some leaders led by their monarch, the Orunja of Odigbo kingdom, Oba Rufus Adegboyega Akinrinmade Adebusoye, rejected the appointment of Hon Eucharia Nwamara, as vice chairman of the Local Council Development Area (LCDA).
Addressing newsmen in Akure, the state capital, the Araromi Obu Youth Development Council, called for the withdrawal of the appointment of Olarewaju Makinde and Mr Giwa Rasheed as the chairman and vice chairman respectively of Ifesowapo Local Council Development Authority.
Their chairman, Adesanoye Akinbinu and General Secretary, Dayo Akinro, said that the two appointees were rejected “because their nomination and appointment does not reflect the spirit of fairness to Araromi-Obu as the host community and the indigenes of the town.
According to them, “this appointment is considered a slap, insult and embarrassment on the face of an average indigene of Araromi-Obu, considering the fact that the council is newly created thus having non indigene as the pioneer head in the administration of the council negate the spirit of fairness and sense of belonging as indigene of a community like ours should enjoy.
“Furthermore, their appointment is considered as insult to the collective sensibility and it is set to deepen the age long conspiracy against the interest of our community if not rescinded. To this extent we reject them also the gods of our land reject them”.
They therefore demanded “the withdrawal of Mr. Olarewaju Makinde as the chairman of the caretaker committee of Ifesowapo Local Council Authority and replace him with an indigene of Araromi-Obu in the interest of fairness and justice and considering your indelible antecedents in the fight against injustice in our national life.”
According to them, this would ensure a peaceful take off of the new local council and subsequent symbolic working relationship with the community.
Also, the tension, has enveloped Odigbo council area of the state following the appointment of an Ibo grassroots politician Hon Eucharia Nwamara, as vice chairman of the Local Council Development Area (LCDA), by Governor Rotimi Akeredolu.
Nwamara was among the caretaker committee members appointed to the newly created 33 LCDAs alongside 26 other caretaker chairmen for the council areas.
She was the Councillor representing Ore Ward, before her appointment as the vice chairman of the new LCDAs in the council area.
Recall that the 26 caretaker chairmen and those of the LCDAs were screened and approved by the state House of Assembly on Tuesday.
Leaders and youths in the council area had protested against alleged planned imposition of Nwamara as chairman of the Odigbo LCDA in August this year.
They said it was wrong for a non-Yoruba to be the pioneer chairman of the new LCDA.
The protesters were led by their traditional ruler, the Orunja of Odigbo kingdom, Oba Rufus Adegboyega Akinrinmade, Adebusoye, who insisted that such aberration would not be allowed by the residents of Odigbo.
They protested to the governor’s office after several protest in their council area.
Meanwhile, the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, while reacting to the appointment of the caretakers committee members for the councils and LCDAs, said that their screening and approval violated the 1999 constitution and the local government system, establishment and administration, and other auxiliary matters law of Ondo state 2006.
