By 
Abiodun OBA
The Transitional Implementation Committee, TIC, chairmen and executive members in the 16 local government councils in Kwara state have been sacked.
A Kwara State High Court sitting in Ilorin, sacked the TIC on Friday.
Delivering his ruling, the presiding judge, Justice H. A. Gegele, described the action of the governor (and the government) as executive rascality and an abuse of power.
The judge said that the suspension of a democratically-elected local government council and replacement with “an illegal TIC” is not known to any law.
The court described the composition of TIC officials in the local government councils as illegal and unconstitutional.
Recall that the affected officials were put in place Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq in June after the suspension of the democratically-elected councils chairmen and councillors from office.
The Elites Network for Sustainable Development, ENetSuD, an anti-corruption civil society organisation in Kwara State, had consequently dragged the state government to court over the composition and inauguration of TIC members in the 16 local government councils of the state.
In suit no KWS/117/2021, ENetSuD dragged the respondents (Kwara State Government, Kwara State Governor and Attorney General of Kwara State) to the State High Court to seek some reliefs on the case.
The judge, who ruled in favor of ENetSuD, admitted that ENetSuD is a juristic person with a legal personality that can sue and be sued.
He also ruled in favour of ENetSuD that it has locus standi to pursue this case in court of competent jurisdiction.
In a swift reaction, Special Assistant to Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq on Political Communications, Alh Bashir Adigun, said that lawyers were already studying the judgement, stressing that “definitely we will appeal the judgement.”
Meanwhile, the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Tunde Ashaolu, described the judgement as a welcome development and victory the rule of law.
Comments