Oyetola Swears In 69 Newly Elected LG Chairmen, Councillors

Governor Adegboyega Oyetola of Osun State yesterday swore in the newly elected council chairmen into all the 69 local government areas and local council development areas in the state.

Speaking to the elected chairmen shortly after taking their oath of office at Bola Ige House, at the state government secretariat, Oyetola tasked them to hit the ground running by providing adequate, quality and equitable services on a consistent basis.

Oyetola noted that the local government election could not come earlier considering the COVID-19 pandemic and its consequences on governance. He said the pandemic was a major setback in the pace of governance for several months.

The governor further noted that the long debate over transition from parliamentary system of government at the grassroots to presidential form of government and the need for the passage of relevant laws by the House of Assembly to support the agreed form of government before electing the next elected representatives contributed significantly to the need to have the election as at the time it was held.

According to him, the political uncertainties posed by the transition and the need to prevent the vacuum necessitated the institution of caretakers at the local government level, adding that the caretaker committee was therefore, a child of necessity for getting the political equation right once and for all.

Charging the newly-inaugurated council chairmen to be magnanimous in victory, Oyetola said it was incumbent on them to take a cue from his government’s penchant for prompt and proactive service delivery.