Court fixes April 30 for judgment in ALGON leadership crisis suit

Simisola AdigunFebruary 16, 2024

0 7 1 minute read

The leadership crisis within the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) is set to reach a resolution on April 30, as announced by a Federal High Court in Abuja.

The prolonged dispute emerged following the removal of Akolade David as ALGON’s president by the association’s National Executive Council, citing his alleged ineligibility for the position.

In response to the lawsuit, brought against the Federal Ministry of Finance, Accountant General of the Federation, and Governor of Central Bank among others, the claimants are pressing for David’s removal from the ALGON presidency.

Their argument centers around his purported ineligibility as a local government chairman, a position required by the 1999 Constitution, ALGON’s Constitution, and a Supreme Court ruling.

During the court proceedings, the claimants’ counsel, Bartholomew Opara, emphasized the need to declare David’s occupancy of the ALGON presidency as illegal and unlawful.

Opara referenced constitutional provisions and legal precedents to bolster their case, urging the court to uphold David’s removal by the National Executive Council and prevent him from parading as the ALGON chairman in the future.

On the other hand, David’s representative, Wahab Shittu, contended that the lawsuit wrongly targeted the National Chairman of ALGON as the ALGON constitution acknowledges the office of the President, not the Chairman.