The Kogi State chapter of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) has dismissed as false and misleading media reports about a lawsuit seeking to stop Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo from dissolving the state’s 21 elected Local Government Chairmen, insisting no such plan exists.
In a statement signed by its Chairman, Hon. Tosin Olokun, the association said the suit — reportedly filed by two individuals — rests on a claim it described as speculative and legally unfounded. According to ALGON, the Governor has neither announced nor considered any move to remove the democratically elected chairmen from office.
ALGON said the confusion stems from a misreading of the law governing the chairmen’s tenure. Under the relevant Kogi State statute, elected Local Government Chairmen serve a two-year term, and the incumbents are aware their tenure lapses in October 2026. The association argued that the routine expiration of a fixed legal term cannot be equated with dissolution, calling any such interpretation misleading and legally untenable.
The statement warned that framing the tenure’s natural end as an act of removal was designed to mislead the public and stir unnecessary political tension.
The association also moved to quash speculation that the state government intends to install caretaker or interim committees to run council affairs once the chairmen’s terms end. Instead, it said the Kogi State Independent Electoral Commission (KOSIEC) has already scheduled Local Government elections for October 2026, ahead of the expiration of the current chairmen’s tenure.
ALGON said this timeline would allow newly elected or re-elected chairmen to be sworn in immediately upon expiration of the current term, ensuring what it called a seamless, constitutional and democratic transition without any administrative vacuum at the council level.
ALGON stated that neither the association nor any of its 21 member councils has any knowledge of, involvement in, or affiliation with the lawsuit. It described the litigation as an ill-motivated and unnecessary attempt by certain individuals to cast doubt on Kogi State’s democratic credentials and to bring the government into disrepute.
The association reaffirmed its confidence in Governor Ododo’s commitment to the rule of law, constitutional governance and the strengthening of democratic institutions at the grassroots. It said it continues to work with the state government, KOSIEC and other stakeholders to ensure the upcoming Local Government elections are free, fair, credible and hitch-free.
ALGON urged residents of Kogi State to disregard what it called the unfounded claims contained in the suit, stating there is no constitutional crisis, no proposed illegal dissolution of elected councils, and no plan to undermine democratic governance at the Local Government level.
The association called on residents to remain calm and law-abiding, and to support the government at all levels as the state works toward a peaceful and stable transition of Local Government administrations.
