N3.4bn judgment: Adelabu reconciles Makinde, sacked LG chairmen
Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, and the sacked local government chairmen in the state, on Monday, resolved their differences as the governor was said to have promised to pay their outstanding allowances.
The PUNCH reports that Makinde sacked all the council chairmen on his assumption of office in 2015, which led to a legal tussle.
The sacked council chairmen obtained a N3.4bn judgment against the state government.
It was learnt that the amicable resolution of the matter was mediated by Minister of Power, Bayo Adelabu, who was at the Governor’s Office during his working visit to Ibadan, the state capital.
On the minister’s entourage was a former chairman of the sacked Association of Local Government Chairmen, Abass Aleshinloye.
An informed government source said, “Today, peace has been brokered between the state government and the sacked members of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria as the governor, Makinde promised, to release the fund immediately.
“The minister, Adelabu intervened in the crisis, by appealing to the government and ex-ALGON chairman, Aleshinloye, to embrace peace.
“The minister made the intervention on Monday at the state secretariat during a working visit to the state governor, Makinde.
“Adelabu intervened in the matter in a closed-door meeting with the governor and Aleshinloye, with the governor promising to settle the debt immediately.
‘‘Before they went into a closed-door session, some of the governor’s Executive Assistants and some on the minister’s entourage, including Olayemi Gbenga, Segun Olalere, were sighted as they engaged in discussion while others exchanged banters.
“In the ensuing development, Makinde later proceeded to shake hands and briefly exchange pleasantries with Aleshinloye after the meeting ended on a peaceful note.”
Efforts to get the governor’s Special Adviser on Media, Sulaimon Olanrenwaju, were not successful as his mobile number was not reachable, as of press time.
