A High Court in Akure, Ondo State, has nullified the creation of 33 new local council development areas (LCDAs), on the premise that the Late Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, signed the law backing them in Ibadan, Oyo State.
Judge Adegboyega Adebusoye delivered the ruling on Thursday, June 20.
Akeredolu, who signed into law the Bill for the creation of the additional states, died on December 27, 2023, after a protracted battle with cancer.
The Senior Advocate of Nigeria had appended his signature to the in his Ibadan home while recuperating from his illness.
The Ondo State House of Assembly passed the Bill for the creation of the 33 additional councils on August 15, 2023.
In September 2023, Akeredolu signed the Bill into law.
The 33 LCDAs were to co-exist with the 18 LGAs, bringing the total number of local councils in the state to 51.
However, Justice Adegboyega Adebusoye ruled that it was illegal for a Governor to sign a law outside the state he governed.
Addressing journalists after the court session, Tolu Babaleye, counsel to the 22 plaintiffs, said the court held that the creation of the 33 LCDAs was “unconstitutional, null and void”.
Babalaye said: “We approached this court being the last hope of the common man. And today, the court gave a well-considered judgment which I call a judicial Tsunami, sweeping off all those illegally created local governments in Ondo state.
“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 because the government has provided for a massive Government House for a Governor.
“So the Governor has no right under the law to go to Ibadan (Oyo State) to sign the law. Because of that, the law was nullified, declared unconstitutional and of no effect.
“So as I talk to you now, Ondo State has reverted to 18 local governments.”
