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Former Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose has stated that no one can become a local government chairman without the backing of the incumbent state governor.
He emphasised the inseparable relationship between state and local government, likening it to the bond between a mother and her child.
Fayose stated this while appearing on Channels TV's flagship programme, Sunday's Politics.
"While I love and I do not believe that any governor should take local government funds, may I say to you clearly this evening that you cannot take the baby from the mother?
"There is nobody that will become council chairman without a governor. Anybody telling you otherwise is wasting his time," Fayose said.
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Supreme Court's verdict
The ex-governor and chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) responded to a Supreme Court ruling that granted financial independence to local governments.
Pulse reports that the apex court ordered the Federal Government to pay the 20.60% monthly allocation directly to the 774 local government accounts, bypassing governor-managed accounts.
Additionally, in this significant ruling on Thursday, the Supreme Court prohibited governors from dissolving democratically elected local government councils.
"While I am not against the judgement of the court, how realistic will that translate to the benefit of outside what it is today?" Fayose asked.
"As it is today, the situation will continue. You cannot tell me that I cannot coronate in terms of who becomes the chairman. Everybody looks up to the governor, and the governor allows communities in some places to go and pick people."