By Jubril Bada

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The people of Uso in Owo Local Government area of Ondo State, have rejected the newly created LCDAs by the state government, saying it was at variance to the Section 7(2)(a) and (b) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The bill for the creation of the LCDAs, was passed by the State Assembly and signed by the State Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu few weeks ago without effecting or putting into consideration the position of people of the community as presented at the public hearing organized by the State House of Assembly.

In a statement signed by the Community Leader, Mr. Emmanuel Ayodele, noted that the architect of the LCDAs creation never took into consideration the fundamental cultural  homogeneity of the people of Uso before lumping them with Emure-Ile

According to the statement, the 1999 Constitution as amended and the ground norm upon which all laws took its root was very emphatic in Section 7 subsection 1and 2 on the creation of local council areas.

It said” The executive governor of the state while inaugurating the 11-man Committee on the creation of the LCDAs for the state in March, 2019 reiterated the constitutional significance of subsections 2(a) and (b) which is less ambiguous that in defining such area regard is paid to the common interest of the community in the area, traditional association of the community and administrative convenience”.

The statement also added “That  the LCDA failed to consider the distance from Uso to Owo which is about 24km while Emure-Ile is about 5km to the centre of Owo, a situation that has made the excercise a mere rhetorical adventure if we are to follow the basic principles of making rural development the centre piece of democracy and bringing the government closer to the grassroots.

The Advisory Council was irked by citing the headquarters of the LCDA in Emure-Ile, contrary to the existing order and political arrangements which treated Uso as the headquarters of the political ward hence it’s referred to as Uso/Emure-Ile ward 11 and not the other way round.

“Creating about four LCDAs from the federally recognized Owo Local Government area and all of them surround the ancient town shows how government has not given consideration to the cultural diversity of the people especially the Uso people.

“We cannot continue in this manner. we must ensure that justice reign. we must equally protect our democracy from being subjected to undue and induced manipulation by the power that be.

“Uso as a race shall continue to agitate for what belongs to them and we shall not shy away from the reality that our oppressors are at work.

“An egalitarian society  is the core value of democracy, which allows people to develop along its recognized values. Uso is craving for this type of society devoid of oppression and political subjugation.

“Ipsofacto, we the people of Uso wish to state equivocally that we are better be left in the federal government recognized Owo Local Government area instead of dragging us to the LCDA created to cause confusion in the state,

“We shall consequently boycott any LCDA elections and our taxes shall be remitted to where we and the state government will agree on.” the statement said.