Date: 2019-07-19

The 16 suspended local government chairmen in Kwara said they willingly withdrew their legal suit challenging their suspension by the state government.

The chairmen, under the aegis of All Local Governments in Nigeria (ALGON), refuted the claim by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that they were forced to withdraw the suit.

They made this known in Ilorin on Friday through a statement jointly signed by Mr Joshua Omokanye and Malam Abubakar Abdullahi Bata, ALGON Chairman and Secretary, respectively.

"We, the Local Government Council Chairmen in Kwara State dissociate ourselves from the statement that emanated from the Office of the State Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that we were pressurized to sign off our legal case with Kwara State Government.

"We state categorically that we were not forced and not under any parochial sentiment to step down the legal suit against the state governor and others," the statement said.

According to the statement, the suspended local government chairmen withdrew the case willingly to enable them clear their names by honouring the invitation of the Kwara State House of Assembly.

"It must also be noted that Kwara State House of Assembly is the arm of government that has the constitutional responsibility to invite Local Government Council Chairmen for questioning.

"We cannot afford to decline the invitation because it is not advisable to throw away the baby with the bathwater, " the statement said.

The chairmen said the action was taken on their own volition to find solution to the suspension and for the overall benefit of the people of the state.

"It is also important to state without mincing words that our case is premised on opportunity offered to clear our names which will subsequently promote speedy socio-economic progress of the state.

"It will be good for anyone to desist from linking the development with betrayal of political leader because no one influences our decision to use legal means in the first instance," the statement said.

According to the statement, a similar incident happened in Ekiti State where the elected local government chairmen were suspended by Gov.Kayode Fayemi.

"There were opportunities created by the state legislative arm during the impasse and a resolution was reached for the good of the state," it said.