Adeleke Swears in New LG Chiefs as APC Urges Security to Stand by Its Own Officials
CHIGOZIE AMADI
Despite warnings from the police and the federal government, the Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, yesterday, swore in the newly elected council chairmen in the state, who in turn inaugurated their councillors at their respective local governments.
But the APC, has urged its reinstated chairmen and councillors to resume for duty today, and debunked fake news that the leadership of the APC in Osun, had directed their elected council chairmen and councillors not to resume.
In the same breath, the national leadership of APC, has described the swearing-in of the ‘newly elected’ local government officials by Adeleke as provocative and a threat to peace and safety of the state.
This was as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum, has said the conduct of last Saturday’s local government elections in Osun State was proof that in a democracy, power resided with the people.
At the same time, the Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has warned the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State, not to turn the state into another “wild wild west” of the Second Republic, and called for rule of law and counseling against resorting to self-help.
Meanwhile, a public policy expert, Mallam Sulayman Nafiu, has decried the just concluded council polls, describing it as a “shameless mockery of democracy population census and a blatant affront to the rule of law.”
Adeleke, who told the cheering chairmen and their supporters that, “We are on the side of the law within the context of rule of law and the constitution,” reeled off how the journey started.
“We are all aware of the journey to where we are. The state is today rounding off a process that started a year or so ago. The state electoral body had issued due notice of election a year ago.
“I know the commission had complied with all extant rules and procedures which led to the emergence of new local government chairmen and councillors.
“We are equally aware of the legal controversies that dogged the holding of the election. It is however a thing of joy that the facts are out in the public domain and we are satisfied that we are on the side of the law within the context of rule of law and the constitution.
“I congratulate all newly elected council chairmen and councillors. You have the mandate to deliver on good governance in your respective local governments.
“I charge you to develop plans of action within the manifesto of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). As our government is transforming the state for the better, I call on you to be agents of change, community developer and deliverer of dividends of democracy.
“To the good people of Osun State, I use this occasion to express my gratitude for your steadfast support for our administration. Osun people demonstrated courage and passion to exercise their voting rights and they did so by massively supporting our party despite all the constraints. We will not fail you. People’s welfare will continue to be our watchword.
“Our thanks also goes to the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission for discharging its mandate professionally and with all sense of responsibilities. We also commend security agencies and state officials who made the election a reality.
“I should not end this address without acknowledging the contributions of Mr President, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu. I am most grateful to Mr President for rejecting efforts by some forces to plunge Osun into chaos.
“I assure Mr President of our commitment to the rule of law and the constitution for conflict resolution and governance process,” the governor noted.
He, however, directed the elected chairman and councillors to stay away from the local government secretariats to avoid any clash with those whom the police had aided to forcefully occupy the local government secretariats.
“An Osun State High Court had affirmed the vacancies in both the Chairman and Councillors positions in all of Osun State Local Governments before your election on the 22nd February 2025.
“We will, therefore, rely on the judiciary to ensure a peaceful removal of those illegally occupying the local government secretariats,” the governor assured them.
Delivering a vote of thanks, the newly elected chairman of Ifelodun Local Government, Hon. Sarafadeen Awotunde, expressed gratitude to the electorate, the PDP and the state government for making the electoral process a reality.
APC Tasks Police, DSS, Others to Stand By, as Own Men Resume Councils Office Today
The APC has urged its reinstated chairmen and councillors to resume for duty today, even as it debunked fake news alleging that the leadership of the party had directed its elected local government chairmen and councillors not to resume in their various local government council areas today.
In a statement by the APC Director of Media and Information, Kola Olabisi, the APC noted that, “We want to inform, the authentic Court of Appeal-reinstated local government council chairmen and councillors that no such information came from the esteemed leadership of our party.
“It is the handiwork of the reactionary elements, who thought they could realise their inordinate political ambition through the dissemination of fake story to confuse our focused elected council bosses and chiefs.
“We want to make it abundantly clear that it is imperative for the elected APC local government chairmen and councillors not to cease from resumption at their various local government council areas in order to continue to serve the deprived people at the grassroots level of government.
“The APC is a party founded on the rules of law which is the reason the Court of Appeal judgement given at the Akure Division, Akure, Ondo State, on the 10th of February, 2025, is the basic instrument of your reinstatement.
“We are not unaware of the fact that some disgruntled elements who are emboldened by the lawless government of the day in Osun State are planning to invade the local government council areas across the state.”
“We would like to enjoin the state Commissioner of Police, the State Director of the DSS and the State Comptroller of the Civil Defence to be on watch out with a view to keeping peace in all the local government council areas in the state.”
In the same breath, the national leadership of APC, has described the swearing in of ‘newly elected’ local government officials by Adeleke as provocative and a threat to peace and safety of the state.
National Publicity Secretary of the party, Felix Morka, In a statement, said the purported fresh election conducted by Adeleke and the PDP was nothing but a disgraceful sham, illegal, and unconstitutional.
He described it as violently contemptuous of the valid and subsisting judgment of the Court of Appeal, and of no effect whatsoever.
Morka noted that APC exercised utmost respect for the adverse decision of the Federal High Court and demonstrated mature restraint in the face of Adeleke’s illegal and unconstitutional appointment of caretaker committees in the state while it diligently pursued its appeal against the decision of the Federal High Court that has now been nullified by the Court of Appeal.
He said APC did not resort to violence or self-help in the matter but submitted to the rule of law and the authority of the courts.
The ruling party wondered why it was difficult for Adeleke, who swore an oath to uphold and defend the Constitution, to abide by a valid order of the Court of Appeal reinstating the sacked local government officials.
“Why is the Governor and his PDP vehement on taking matters into their own hands in disregard of a valid judgement of the Court of Appeal? Why is Governor Adeleke so desperate and determined to incite anarchy in Osun state with impunity?
“And why is the Governor so unaffected by the already tragic loss of lives of innocent citizens of the state in reckless breach of his duty to protect lives and property of all citizens in the state?”
Morka described the conduct of local government elections last Saturday as a reckless waste of public funds, and an irresponsible incitement to further violence in an already volatile atmosphere in the state.
“Breaking news reports of the purported swearing in of “newly elected” local government officials by Governor Adeleke constitutes needless political provocation and a clear renewed threat to the peace and safety of lives in the state.
“Governor Adeleke is under constitutional responsibility to respect and uphold the laws of our land, including giving effect to binding court judgements notwithstanding his personal or partisan political wishes or preferences.
“As he was quick to issue an executive order sacking the local government officials based on the Federal High Court judgment of 2022, Governor Adeleke is under clear constitutional obligation to similarly comply with the Court of Appeal judgment reinstating the same officials.
“The sensible and democratic remedy available to Governor Adeleke is to exercise his government’s right to appeal to the Supreme Court in the matter.
“We urge Governor Adeleke to immediately end his illegal and anti-democratic push for fresh local government election, and abide by the valid judgment of the Court of Appeal in the matter.”
PDP: Election is Proof Power is With People
The PDP governors noted that, ”Obviously, power in a democracy resides with the people as hereby confirmed where their choice is for the PDP, a people-friendly party which at all times, bestows equity and fairness as its yardstick in the day-to-day running of the affairs in all its governed states.”
In a statement by its Director General, Dr. Emmanuel Agbo, the governors applauded the PDP for its victorious outing at the polls, saying, ”It is a well-deserved victory after a good fight both for Gov. Adeleke, the party – PDP, Osun State, democracy and the indisputability of good stewardship in public service.”
They urged Adeleke to ensure that the elected LG Chairmen and Councillors were magnanimous in victory and should work towards enthroning a culture of tolerance and promotion of peace in order to consolidate on the unity and peace so far enjoyed among the Osun people.
According to the PDP governors, ”Having verified the enormous transformation projects by Governor Adeleke’s administration on the Osun landscape backed with capacity development and empowerment programmes for the grassroot people across various sectors, especially for the youths and women.
”We are confident that Senator Adeleke will certainly lead the elected LGC officers to embark on maximising all opportunities in delivering life-changing dividends of democracy to the indigenes and residents of their respective LGAs; albeit to affirm that the trust of the people in our great party, PDP, is justified. To us, the election was a referendum on Adeleke’s leadership and acceptability in Osun state.
”We commend Osun State Independent Electoral Commission, OSIEC, for ensuring that the integrity of the electoral process was applied in the exercise. And by today’s wrap-up of activities, it stands proven that the voice of the people has been honored,” the PDP governors stressed.
Makinde: Don’t Turn Osun into Wild Wild West
Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has warned the APC not to turn Osun into another ‘wild wild west’, and therefore, called for the rule of law and counseling against resorting to self-help.
Makinde spoke on behalf of the forum in Osogbo, in the presence of the PDP Governors Forum chairman, Governor Bala Muhammed of Bauchi state.
The two governors had attended the swearing-in ceremony of the newly elected council chairmen in solidarity with Adeleke.
He reminded all those fomenting trouble in Osun to remember history and learn from it, warning that Osun should not be plunged into crisis over a matter that could be resolved by the judiciary.
While urging the APC to leave Osun alone, Makinde said anybody that has a grouse should seek judicial redress instead of resorting to self-help.
According to him, the PDP and its governors were only interested in delivering dividends of democracy to the people, adding that, “My brother is delivering on his promises to the people of Osun state.
“If anybody has a judgement, there is a procedure for enforcement of court decisions. It is illegal to resort to self help,” he maintained.
Expert Condemns Exercise
A policy expert, Mallam Sulayman Nafiu, has condemned the just concluded local government election in Osun State, saying it was a “shameless mockery of democracy population census and a blatant affront to the rule of law.”
Coalition of Election Observers Group on the Osun local government elections, had at a press conference, decried the role played before and during the election by the Nigerian Police.
However, Nafiu’s scathing critique tore apart the facade of legitimacy, exposing the election as a farcical exercise in futility, with ballots cast in unauthorised locations and a blatant disregard for democratic principles.
“The people of Osun State deserve better. They deserve a government that respects the democratic process, upholds the rule of law, and prioritises the welfare of its citizens. Instead, they are being treated to a shameless display of impunity and disregard for the law,” he said.
