Osun LG Caretaker Chairmen, Members resign

Tunde Adeleke, Osogbo

The chairmen and members of caretaker committees running local government areas and local council development areas (LCDAs) in Osun State have all resigned their respective positions.

The caretaker committee chairmen and members were appointed by Adeleke in August 2023, and their tenure of office was extended by 6 months in February 2024.

Meanwhile, the reason behind the resignation was not contained in the letter circulating on the internet on Wednesday.

In one of the letters addressed to Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke, the caretaker chairman of Odo-Otin local government area, Okuku, Adewale Adeyinka, stated that he was quitting office to pursue other opportunities to serve his people.

The letter partly read, “It is with a sense of duty and respect for our democratic principles that I write to tender my resignation from my position as Chairman of the Caretaker Committee for Odo-Otin Local Government, effective immediately.

“As I move on to pursue further opportunities to serve my people, I want to assure you that the good work we have started will not end.

“I remain committed to supporting the growth and development of Odo-Otin Local Government in any capacity I can.”

While confirming the resignation of the 332 caretaker members and the chairmen, the immediate past chairman of the Association of Local Government of Nigeria in Osun State, Sarafadeen Awotunde, said, “Since we already called them caretaker, I don’t think there is any appropriate word to use other than that they resigned. Nobody sacked them.

“Caretakers have temporary time to spend. It means their time is over. If you look at it critically, you will see that the Supreme Court has given a verdict. So whatever is called a caretaker now is illegal. So, there is nothing like a caretaker in Nigeria again.”

However, a source who claimed anonymity stated that the resignation became a necessity in order to prepare for the February 22 council polls.

“Almost all Council Chairmen have resigned to prepare for the February Council polls,”  he said.