By Kunle Adeloye
Ondo State High Court 6 has further adjourned to February 12, 2024 to allow parties to the case to agree on terms of settlement out of case.
This was sequel to the prayer of the counsel to Ondo State Governor, Ebun Olu Adegboruwa,SAN who pleaded that parties to the case have met but needed little more time to firm up the agreement. When called to react to the prayer of Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, counsel to the claimant, the PDP, Barrister Wole Awofade agreed to the adjournment as the parties involved in the dispute are yet to agree on the terms of settlement.
The court therefore adjourned to February 12, 2024 upon which all parties shall report back to the court the agreed terms of settlement which will in event signal the end of the dispute. The presiding Judge, Justice Fasanmi however advised that all parties involved in the case must be adequately carried along in the discussion on the terms of settlement.
It will be recalled that Ondo State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic party (PDP) dragged the Ondo State Government, Ondo State Governor, Ondo State House of Assembly, the Speaker of Ondo State House of Assembly and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to court over their intention to constitute Caretaker Committees to administer the affairs of Local Government Areas/Local Council Development Areas (LCDAS) instead of holding elections to allow democratically elected persons to run the Local Government. Arising from this, the court granted an interim injunction which all parties were adequately served. The government of Ondo State through the immediate past Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Princess Oladunni Odu and the former Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Union Matters, Mr. Dare Aragbaye in defiance to the court ruling went ahead to inaugurate the Caretaker Committees.
This prompted the People’s Democratic party (PDP) to further approach the Court to press contempt charges against the government.
In his ruling on December 21, 2023, the court dismissed the motion for stay of execution moved by the APC/Ondo State Government. The court further ruled that the Caretaker Committees were not legally constituted and shall not be recognized. It ordered that no one should parade himself/herself as Caretaker Committee until judgement shall be delivered on the substantive suit before the court. The initial order was reviewed and made order of perpetual injunction pending the determination of the case.
At the resumed sitting of the court on January 9, 2024, Mr. Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, SAN announced his appearance for the State Governor and Ondo State Government following the sudden demise of the then Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN and the inauguration of His Excellency Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa as the New Executive Governor of Ondo State.
Mr. Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, SAN told the Court that the new Governor needed time to study the case. He also asserted that he had the authority of the Governor to call for settlement out of court so as to adopt political solution to the imbroglio. This was not countered by any of the counsels to the case. The case was thus adjourned to Wednesday January 24, 2024 for the parties to report back to the court on the terms of settlement reached.
Peoplesmind
