Ekiti govt complies with Supreme Court judgment, relocates Ilejemeje LG hqtrs

The Ekiti State government has commenced the process of relocating the headquarters of the Ilejemeje local government from Iye-Ekiti to Eda Oniyo. The government said on Monday it had no option than to abide by the Supreme Court decision that annulled the recognition of Iye Ekiti as headquarters of the council since 1996. The Eda […]

The Ekiti State government has commenced the process of relocating the headquarters of the Ilejemeje local government from Iye-Ekiti to Eda Oniyo.

The government said on Monday it had no option than to abide by the Supreme Court decision that annulled the recognition of Iye Ekiti as headquarters of the council since 1996.

The Eda Oniyo community had gone to court to contest what they described as “politically motivated” the relocation of the council’s headquarters by the then military governor of the state, Colonel Inuwa Mohammed Bawa, to Iye-Ekiti.

The Supreme Court, in its judgment on December 14, 2018, recognized Eda Oniyo as the headquarters and ordered Governor Kayode Fayemi to effect the relocation with immediate effect.

The Ekiti State Deputy Governor, Chief Bisi Egbeyemi, who briefed the media on the development yesterday, said that by virtue of the Supreme Court pronouncement, it would be “illegal, irregular, unconstitutional and null and void” to recognize Iye Ekiti as the headquarters of the council.

“Ekiti State government hereby proclaims that the decision of the Supreme Court is sacrosanct and inviolable, and is binding on the government. By virtue of the judgment, Eda Oniyo is the only legally recognized headquarters of Ilejemeje local government.

“The headquarters of Ilejemeje local government and its machinery are hereby relocated by the Ekiti State government from Iye Ekiti  to Eda Oniyo Ekiti.”

Gov Fayemi consequently 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, commended the state government for obeying the judgment of the court and relocating the council’s headquarters to his domain.

“I want to appeal to my people not to be over-joyous. They should maintain peace. The day they took it forcefully, we did not fight,” the monarch said.

Hon. Awolola also appealed to the people of the two towns to be peaceful and law-abiding.