A high court in Akure, the capital city of Ondo State, has ruled against the creation of 33 additional Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) in the state, declaring them unconstitutional and null.
Judge Adegboyega Adebusoye delivered the verdict on Thursday, following a legal challenge brought against the creation of the LCDAs by 22 plaintiffs.
The Ondo State House of Assembly had passed a bill for the creation of the 33 LCDAs on August 15, 2023, which received final legislative approval. Former Governor Rotimi Akeredolu signed the bill into law in September 2023, shortly after returning from a medical leave.
The creation of these LCDAs was intended to co-exist with the existing 18 Local Government Areas (LGAs), thereby increasing the total number of local councils in the state to 51.
However, the court’s ruling declared the entire process illegal, highlighting the irregularity of signing the law outside the state’s jurisdiction.
The judgment emphasized that no governor has the authority to sign a state law outside the boundaries of the state they govern.
Tolu Babaleye, counsel to the plaintiffs, expressed satisfaction with the court’s decision, describing it as a “judicial tsunami” that effectively nullifies the existence of the 33 LCDAs.
Addressing reporters after the court session, Babaleye stated, “The court gave a well-considered judgment which I call a judicial Tsunami, sweeping off all those illegally created local governments in Ondo state.”
He further explained, “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.”
With the ruling, Ondo State has reverted to its original 18 LGAs, as the judgment declared the creation of the 33 LCDAs as unconstitutional and of no effect.
The legal battle underscores the importance of adherence to constitutional processes in governance and legislative actions within Nigerian states.