Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, has raised the alarm over what he describes as a “fascist, anti-democratic agenda” to plunge the state into chaos and anarchy.
In a press conference held on Sunday, the governor accused the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Mr. Gboyega Oyetola, of orchestrating a plot to forcefully reinstate sacked local government chairmen using a non-existent court judgment.
The governor warned that the plan, set to be executed as early as Monday, could lead to bloodshed and a breakdown of law and order in the state.
Governor Adeleke’s allegations center on a contentious legal battle over the legitimacy of local government chairmen elected during the 2022 local government polls. The chairmen were sacked by two separate Federal High Court judgments, one initiated by the People’s Democratic Party and the other by the Action People’s Party.
While the APC successfully appealed the PDP judgment, the court struck it out on procedural grounds without reinstating the chairmen. The APP judgment, however, remains subsisting, effectively nullifying the 2022 local government election results.
The governor accused Mr. Oyetola, a former governor of Osun State and nephew of President Bola Tinubu, of exploiting his familial ties to the presidency to issue “illegal directives” to security agencies. Adeleke claimed that Oyetola has been holding secret meetings with the Osun State Commissioner of Police, the Director of the Department of State Services, and the Commandant of the Civil Defense Corps to mobilize security operatives for a forceful takeover of local government offices on Monday.
“This is a reprehensible abuse of power and a gross betrayal of the trust reposed in our security agencies by the Constitution,” Adeleke declared.
He emphasized that no court order exists to reinstate the sacked chairmen and called on President Tinubu, whom he described as a “true democrat,” to intervene and prevent the impending crisis.
The governor’s press statement also included a detailed legal breakdown of the court judgments, which he said were deliberately misrepresented by Oyetola and his allies.
Adeleke urged legal experts, the Nigerian Bar Association, and the public to scrutinize the court rulings, which he said clearly show that the request to reinstate the chairmen was dismissed as an “academic exercise” by the Court of Appeal.
Adeleke’s allegations have sparked concerns about the potential for political violence in Osun State. The governor warned that any attempt to impose illegality on the state would be met with fierce resistance.
“We are law-abiding people, but we will not accept any attempt to impose anarchy on us,” he said.
He called on the diplomatic community, civil society organizations, and lovers of democracy to intervene before the situation escalates.
The Osun State government has already forwarded certified true copies of the court judgments to the relevant security agencies, but Adeleke accused the state’s security chiefs of disregarding the rule of law in favor of Oyetola’s alleged illegal orders.
“It is unfortunate that the Osun State security chiefs are taking instructions from Mr. Oyetola just because he is the nephew of Mr. President,” the governor lamented.
As tensions rise, all eyes are on President Tinubu and the national security apparatus to address the brewing crisis. Governor Adeleke’s appeal to the president to rein in his nephew and uphold the rule of law underscores the high stakes involved. With Monday’s deadline looming, the people of Osun State brace themselves for what could be a pivotal moment in the state’s political history.
