ALGON Kogi Local Government Chairmen Dissolution Claims »

The Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Kogi State Chapter, has dismissed claims that the Kogi State Government plans to dissolve the elected chairmen of the state’s 21 local government areas, describing a lawsuit reportedly filed over the issue as baseless and founded on speculation.

In a statement issued on Thursday and signed by its chairman, Hon. Tosin Olokun, the association said Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo had neither announced nor contemplated dissolving the democratically elected council chairmen before the expiration of their tenure.

According to ALGON, the tenure of the current local government chairmen is clearly provided for under the law through which they were elected and is due to expire in October 2026.

“The expiration of a legally prescribed tenure cannot, by any stretch of imagination, be misconstrued as dissolution,” the statement said.

The association argued that suggestions that the governor intends to remove elected local government administrations outside the provisions of the law were “misleading and legally untenable,” adding that such claims were intended to create unnecessary political tension.

ALGON also denied reports that the state government plans to appoint caretaker or interim committees to administer the councils after the expiration of the current tenure.

Instead, it stated that the Kogi State Independent Electoral Commission (KOSIEC) has already scheduled local government elections for October 2026, ahead of the end of the tenure of the incumbent chairmen.

According to the association, newly elected or re-elected chairmen will be sworn in immediately after the current tenure expires, ensuring what it described as a seamless and constitutional transition without any vacuum in local government administration.

ALGON further stated that neither the association nor any of its 21 member councils had any knowledge of or involvement in the reported litigation.

“We completely dissociate ourselves from what appears to be an ill-motivated and unnecessary attempt by certain individuals to cast aspersions on the democratic credentials of Kogi State and bring the government into disrepute,” the statement added.

The association reaffirmed its confidence in Governor Ododo’s commitment to constitutional governance and the rule of law, saying it would continue to work with KOSIEC and other stakeholders to ensure the forthcoming local government elections are free, fair and credible.

ALGON urged residents of the state to disregard what it described as unfounded claims surrounding the lawsuit, insisting there was no constitutional crisis, no planned illegal dissolution of elected councils and no intention to undermine democratic governance at the local government level.

The statement also called on residents to remain calm, law-abiding and supportive of efforts aimed at ensuring a peaceful and democratic transition at the grassroots.