The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State has said its local government chairmen will still go ahead with plans to give vehicles to the police to help improve security in the state.

The party made this known in a statement released in Osogbo on Thursday, while reacting to criticism from the Accord Party, which had earlier asked the police to reject the donation.

The Accord Party, through its chairman, Victor Akande, warned that the vehicles could be linked to illegal activities. The party claimed that accepting such donations might put the police in trouble.

According to the Accord Party, the APC local government chairmen are not legally in office. They also alleged that the planned donation is part of a wider scheme involving misuse of local government funds and an attempt to involve the police in it.

In response, the APC, through its spokesperson Kola Olabisi, criticized both the Accord Party and Governor Ademola Adeleke. The party said security should always come first and described the criticism as unnecessary and politically motivated.

The APC also stated that its council chairmen are only trying to support the police in fighting crime, adding that the state government has not done enough to address security challenges over the past three years.

The party praised its local government leaders for their performance and expressed disappointment that their efforts to support community policing were being opposed instead of appreciated.

It further said that if critics cannot see the good intention behind the move, it shows a lack of understanding. The APC added that Governor Adeleke and his supporters should accept that the APC chairmen remain in office legally until the courts decide otherwise.

There is currently an ongoing dispute over who controls the local government councils in Osun State. Chairmen elected under the APC and those elected under the Adeleke-led government are both claiming authority.

Even though APC chairmen are currently in charge of the councils, both sides have taken the matter to court and are waiting for final judgments to confirm their positions.