Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has handed over his duties to Deputy Governor Bayo Lawal, who will serve as acting governor during Makinde’s vacation.

The governor will be on leave from Monday, August 5, 2024, to Friday, September 6, 2024. This announcement was made in a letter read by Speaker Adebo Ogundoyin during Thursday’s valedictory plenary session honoring Mrs. Yetunde Awe, the retiring Clerk of the House.

The letter stated, “During the period indicated above, Deputy Governor Barr Bayo Lawal shall serve as Acting Governor and I shall resume on September 7, 2024, pursuant to section 190 subsection 1 of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

Makinde’s vacation coincides with the nationwide #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protest against hunger and hardship under President Bola Tinubu’s administration. On July 17, SaharaReporters reported that the African Action Congress (AAC) demanded Makinde’s resignation for rejecting local government financial autonomy.

The AAC’s Oyo Chairman, Kayode Babayomi, criticized Makinde’s reaction to the Supreme Court’s ruling that upheld financial autonomy for Nigeria’s 774 councils. Makinde had claimed that a gap existed between the Supreme Court judgment and the Nigerian Constitution, stating that the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) would continue to deposit local government allocations into the States/Local Governments Joint Account as stipulated by the 1999 Constitution.

Babayomi accused Makinde of lacking transparency and alleged that the governor was concerned about losing access to funds meant for local councils. He said, “Makinde’s worry about local government financial autonomy shows his administration lacks transparency and is corrupt. If local government autonomy doesn’t align with his corrupt governance style, he should resign. The Supreme Court’s decision highlights the lack of accountability in Makinde’s administration.”

One thought on “Oyo Governor Makinde Informs Assembly of Plan to Go on Vacation Amid Nationwide Protest”

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *