Akintola Commends LG Congress In Oyo

A legal luminary and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chief Niyi Akintola has commended the show of understanding and unity displayed by members of the All Progressive Congress in Oyo State over the peaceful and successful conduct of the Local Government Congress across the state.

Akintola, a Chieftain and governorship hopeful of the party gave the commendation on Saturday after a tour of some council areas where he observed the conduct of the election.

He spoke with newsmen after addressing hundreds of delegates at the IMG Primary School, Oloro Alake Eleta, Ibadan, venue of the Ibadan South East LG congress.

Akintola who described the exercise as fantastic said the massive turnout of the delegates for the congress is an indication that the party is on ground in the state and that the party is ready to take over the governance of the state from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

Akintola said “Fantastic! I have been to three local governments since morning. I was in my local government in Ido, and I’m now here and going to Akinyele.

“You can see it’s been peaceful, you can see the sea of heads. The array of people, different personalities, even dignitaries from this local government that have been here today including Permanent Secretary, retired Permanent Secretaries, Retired Directors, Chairmen of Boards, they have been here today.

“And you can see how enthusiastic people are. It shows that Oyo State belong to APC.

“This is not a real election, this is just party congress. You can see the people, you can now imagine what will happen if we are to have election.

“That shows that we are on ground here, APC is on ground in Oyo State. Oyo State is APC state, and everybody has conducted himself or herself peacefully and in an orderly manner. To God be the glory.

“And I want to congratulate His Excellency, Governor Buni, you can see his handiwork. The distractors that doesn’t want him to conduct this congress have been put to shame. Congratulations to Governor Buni, the Chairman of APC.”

Asked on his charge to the people, the APC chieftain said “Well, I asked them to be peaceful, I pleaded with them to be peaceful, and to continue to endure. That we started this journey some two and half years ago, 2023 is just around the corner.

“I know people are suffering, especially the issue of security. We thought we’ve gone beyond Egypt, that we are approaching the promise land but somebody somewhere came round and brought us back to Egypt in terms of insecurity in the state.

“You can see people are anxious to see their children back in school, to see their children getting qualitative education and to see infrastructural development, which we are noted for.

“I am a progressive, you see the truth of the matter is that what is happening today to the present government is not strange to us, that is what PDP is noted for. But we are noted for creative ideas and infrastructural development.

“Like I do say to them, I gave them just the example of the burnt market at Gate in Ibadan, while others were going there to give people rice, garri, I went there and built shops. That’s something that will last longer. You should teach people how to fish, and not just giving them fishes.”

Asked on the implications of not getting the congress right at the Council levels, Akintola said “Well, there’s no question of not getting it right, we are getting it right. Don’t forget I handled most of the cases as emanated from this issue of not getting it right. And there is nothing that we are not getting right now.

“People don’t appreciate the fact that intra-party matter is not a matter for the court of law because the law has said that times without number. There are pletora of authorities to that effect but some elements within the legal profession are still very much atune with going to court to challenge, even when the court of competence jurisdiction has given judgement of such, including Supreme Court has given judgement that intra-party crisis is not a matter you take to court.

“Like we are having now, anybody that goes to court now over what we are doing now is just wasting his time, no court has the jurisdiction to entertain it. And until the culprits, I mean the lawyers and the judges that are entertaining such are sanctioned, they will not desist.

“That is why those of us who are senior lawyers and senior members of the bar have been clamoring for effective sanctions against those who indulge in these practices.

“In the western world, the advanced countries, once the court of law give judgement on a particular issue, no lawyer dare attempt to twist the hands of the judiciary against the position of the law. But it is happening in Nigeria because Nigeria is a country of anything goes which is rather unfortunate.”