The Ekiti state government has implemented the Supreme Court’s judgement which relocated the headquarters of Ilejemeje local government from Iye Ekiti to Eda Oniyo.
Speaking in Ado-Ekiti Monday, the state deputy governor, Chief Bisi Egbeyemi, said the government has no option than to align with the apex court’s decision, which declared the recognition of Iye Ekiti as the headquarters of the council since 1996 as null and void.
Following the pronouncement of Iye Ekiti the headquarters against Eda Oniyo that was contained in the federal government’s gazette, the Eda Oniyo people had gone to court to contest what they described as politically motivated relocation of the headquarters by the then military governor, Col Inua Mohammed Bawa.
The apex in its judgement last year December recognised Eda Oniyo as the headquarters and ordered Governor Kayode Fayemi to effect the relocation with immediate effect.
Chief Egbeyemi, said the state took the step following the advice of the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Wale Fapohunda, and the report of a fact finding committee, which advised that by virtue of the Supreme Court’s pronouncement, that it will be “illegal, irregular, unconstitutional, null and void”, to recognise Iye Ekiti, as the headquarters of the council.
Egbeyemi said sequel to the judicial decision, the government proclaimed that “the decision of the Supreme Court, the highest court in the land is sacrosanct and inviolable and is binding on the government.
“That by virtue of the judgement, Eda Oniyo is the only legally recognised headquarters of Ilejemeje local government.
“That the headquarters of Ilejemeje local government and its machinery are hereby relocated by Ekiti state government from Iye Ekiti to Eda Oniyo Ekiti”.
Egbeyemi said by virtue of the pronouncement, all government departments, institutions, organisations, public functionaries, corporate bodies and others are expected to cooperate with government to facilitate smooth relocation.
The Deputy Governor directed the chairman of the council, Hon Sunday Awolola and the commissioner for local government, Prof Adio Folayan, to prepare a schedule for the relocation of the council to the new town.
The Eleda of Eda Oniyo Ekiti, Oba Julius Awolola, applauded the government for relocating the council to his domain and for obeying the judgement of the court.
The chairman of the council, Hon Sunday Awolola appealed to people of the two towns to be peaceful and be law abiding, saying adequate security will be provided by the government to safeguard the lives of the populace.
