The political tension in Osun State has increased as the All Progressives Congress (APC) calls on Governor Ademola Adeleke to follow a recent Court of Appeal judgment.
The court reinstated sacked local government chairmen and councillors, but the governor has not accepted the ruling.
At a press conference in Osogbo, APC State Chairman, Tajudeen Lawal, criticized Governor Adeleke’s response.
He accused the governor of trying to twist the court’s decision to suit his political interests. Lawal insisted that the ruling was clear and must be obeyed without delay.
“We are here to talk about the Appeal Court’s judgment on the sacked council officials. Their mandate has been restored, and Governor Adeleke must respect the law,” Lawal said.
He warned that any attempt to ignore the court’s decision could cause political unrest. He also advised Adeleke to stop seeking public sympathy and allow the reinstated officials to resume their duties.
APC’s legal adviser, Barrister Adegoke Ogunsola, accused the state government of misinterpreting the ruling. He claimed that Adeleke and his aides were trying to create confusion.
Ogunsola also dismissed Adeleke’s allegations against former Governor Adegboyega Oyetola and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
He said Adeleke’s claims that Oyetola was using his connection to Tinubu to influence security agencies were baseless.
“The governor is trying to act like a judge by interpreting the ruling to benefit himself. His accusations against Oyetola and Tinubu are false and should be ignored,” Ogunsola said.
In his own press conference, Governor Adeleke alleged that Oyetola was planning to forcefully take over local government councils. He claimed that security agencies were being misled into acting on a “non-existent” court order.
Adeleke insisted that the 2022 local government election, which brought in the affected officials, was already nullified by two Federal High Court rulings. He argued that the Appeal Court did not issue any order for reinstatement.
He also accused Oyetola of using his influence as President Tinubu’s relative to control security forces, but he reassured the public that Tinubu would not support any illegal takeover.
Due to the rising tension, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) in Osun State have ordered their members to stop working at local government offices.
In separate statements, both unions said they were concerned about the safety of workers. They announced that all local government offices in the state would remain closed until further notice.
