Vice chairmen and councillors of the16 local government chairmen recently suspended by the Kwara state governor, Alhaji AbdulRhman AbdulRasaq, Monday said they have approached the court of law to seek redress over the stoppage of their salaries.
Addressing a joint press briefing in Ilorin , chairman , forum of vice chairmen and councillors, Alhaji Yusuf Saliu Mohammed, said they decided to seek redress in court following the extension of the suspension order slammed on the councils by the governor.
He argued that the recommendation made by the state house of assembly demanding the suspension of 16 council chairmen was only for the suspended chairmen and was not suppose to affect them in the first instance.
“Although we were not happy with the illegal suspension,we choose to sacrifice six months from our tenure in the interest of peace in the state of Harmony.We are (and still are) certain that we ( vice chairmen and councillors ) did not commit any onfence that could warrant suspension or other disciplinary action. We therefore decided to remain calm, confidently expecting our return to office after the expiration of six months.
“As the six month of our suspension was coming to an end ,we gathered from the grapevine that the governor did not want us to return to our offices until the expiration of tenure in November 2020. And that he was likely to extend our suspension if he did not rightly dislove the councils.
“This disclosure forced us to seek another way out as against our resolve to remain calm; hence our decision to go to court. We are now in court believing that the judiciary, which is the last hope of the common man, will wipe our tears for us .The hearing will start on 17th January 2020,” he said.
