As the political crisis in Osun State over the control of local government continues to rage, the tactical squad deployed by the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, will remain at the LG secretariats, The PUNCH has gathered.
An impeccable source in the police, who spoke anonymously for lack of authorisation, said the tactical team had the IG’s mandate to man the secretariats for two months.
The political crisis deepened on Sunday as the All Progressives Congress vowed to take measures to prevent newly sworn-in local government chairmen of the Peoples Democractic Party from accessing council funds.
This comes after Governor Ademola Adeleke swore in the chairmen and councillors elected in Saturday’s local government election.
In the Saturday election, candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party won in all the Osun local government, the APC having withdrawn from the exercise.
The APC had cited a recent Court of Appeal judgment, reportedly reinstating the APC LG chairmen elected and sacked in 2022.
The APC LG chairmen had last week taken over the LG secretariat, insisting that they had been reinstated.
Though the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN) and the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, warned against the conduct of a fresh LG poll, referencing the appeal court judgment, reinstating the APC LG chairmen, Governor Adeleke went on to conduct the fresh LG poll on Saturday.
At the swearing-in on Sunday, Adeleke directed the new PDP LG chairmen and councillors not to resume yet at their various council areas, to prevent clashes with “those whom the police had aided to forcefully occupy the local government secretariats.”
Meanwhile, a leader of the APC in Osun confided in our correspondent that they would write to the banks to freeze the accounts of the local government, so that the new PDP LG chairmen would not have access to funds.
Speaking on the steps the APC will take against the new PDP LG chairmen, a former Special Adviser on Education to ex-Governor Gboyega Oyetola, Mr Jamiu Olawumi, told The PUNCH that the reinstated chairmen and their councillors would move to stop the PDP chairmen from accessing the funds of the councils.
He also said the chairmen would issue a directive for council workers to resume duty under the leadership of APC-elected chairmen, who were declared winners in the October 15, 2022, election.
“We will continue to go to the office. We will write to all the regional managers of banks in Osun to tell them that there has been a change of leadership in the local governments.
“We want to notify them that very soon, we will approach them to effect a change of signatories to the accounts of councils,” Olawumi stated.
He warned banks against recognising the PDP chairmen, describing them as “persona non grata,” and cautioned that any financial institution that took sides with them did so at its risk.
“We also implore regional managers of banks in Osun State not to join them in any game that can cause them imprisonment because power has changed in the local government, enforced by the Federal Government as a result of the Court of Appeal judgment.
“They should not deal with ward congress men of the PDP. They are persona non-grata. They don’t have any access to the local governments. So, any regional manager who sides with them is doing it at the risk of his bank and his job.
“We are ready to fight for this as we have always done. The appeal to the general public is to continue to transact with the local governments.
“Chairmen and secretaries are there to attend to you in a peaceful atmosphere that has been provided by the law of Nigeria and the Federal Government,” Olawumi said.
Olawumi also said the chairmen would recall local government staff who had since Monday stayed away from their duty posts to avoid being caught in the web of the political crisis in the state.
“We will also place a public service announcement that all local government officials should resume work.
“We are aware of the instruction of Governor Ademola Adeleke to his ward congress election winners that they are calling chairmen of local government that they should not go to office tomorrow (Monday) until there is peace.
“There is peace already because the Court of Appeal has given us peace in Osun. It is only the government of Osun under his leadership that is rupturing the peace.
“Also, they can’t come to the council because there is no vacancy in the local governments. Our appeal to the career leadership of the local governments is to call their colleagues who are staff of local governments to resume.
“The Federal Government has provided enough security and it’s adequate for us,” he said.
Responding, the Osun PDP Director of Media, Oladele Bamiji, dismissed APC’s plans as mere wishes.
He said, “We don’t think that they would be so unreasonable. There are litigations here and there unless they want to start another controversy. If they do anything contrary to what is on the ground, we will now see what to do.
“I just hope they know what they are doing because the local government does not just stop at the local council alone; there are other layers of governance that deal with local government, and I hope they realise that local government is not just about the chairman alone.
“We have other civil servants that are also signatories to the account. All this gallivanting does not show them as moderate or civilised enough to even know the procedures in the administration of the local government they are trying to administer,” he said.
The PDP spokesman added, “We are ready for everything, and we will be treating every issue as it comes. Where we are is where we are. The election has been held, winners have emerged, and we take things up from there.”
Multiple security sources who spoke on the condition of anonymity to The PUNCH said operatives attached to the tactical teams of the Inspector General of Police, who were deployed in the state would remain in Osogbo until further notice.
This, the sources said, was to ensure security at local government secretariats in the state.
Speaking in Osogbo at the swearing-in of the chairmen and councillors, Adeleke directed them to stay away from the council secretariats.
“I urge you and your councillors to please stay away from the council 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,” he said.
He, however, urged them to deliver on the mandate given to them.
The event was witnessed by the Chairman of the PDP Governors Forum and Bauchi State Governor, Bala Muhammed; Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, ex-Osun State Governor, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, and friends and associates of the elected officials.
Adeleke, at the event, asked the newly-elected officials to develop plans of action within the PDP manifesto, noting that his administration was working hard to transform the state.
He called on them to be agents of change and deliver dividends of democracy to the people.
He clarified that the state was within the context of the rule of law and the constitution in conducting the local government election.
“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 the rule of law and the constitution,” he said.
The governor congratulated the chairmen and councillors, as he also thanked the OSSIEC for discharging its mandate professionally.
“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 PDP.
“Our thanks also go to the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission for discharging its mandate professionally and with all sense of responsibility. We also commend security agencies and state officials who made the election a reality,” he said.
Makinde, speaking at the event, advised the chairmen not to forget the promises they made during the campaign.
He noted that their election had presented them with the opportunity to deliver dividends of democracy to the people at the grassroots.
“This will be your stepping stones to higher positions and the reward for hard work and for delivering is more work,” he said.
Speaking on the recent mayhem that rocked the state, Makinde said, “We don’t want ‘Wild Wild West’ again. They should stay away from this zone. We want to peacefully provide the dividends of democracy to the people.”
The Oyo State governor also warned against any attempts to undermine legal processes.
“Nobody should resort to self-help. Even if you have court judgments, there’s a process. Let the process go through,” he added.
APC rejects election
The APC, on Sunday, condemned the swearing-in of newly elected local government officials by Adeleke, saying it was a direct violation of a valid Court of Appeal judgment.
Reacting via a statement on Sunday, the National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Felix Morka, accused Adeleke and his party of deliberately disregarding the rule of law and the authority of the courts.
According to him, the APC did not resort to violence following the decision of the federal high court but demonstrated maturity in the face of the governor’s ‘unconstitutional’ appointment of caretaker committees in the state while it diligently pursued the case, which had now been nullified by the appellate court.
He said, “In wanton disregard for the rule of law, and a valid and subsisting judgment of the Court of Appeal, Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State conducted what he purported to be a local government election in the state on Saturday, February 22.
“Why is it so difficult for Governor Adeleke, who swore an oath to uphold and defend the constitution, to abide by a valid order reinstating the sacked local government officials?
“The purported last Saturday’s fresh election conducted by him and his PDP is nothing but a disgraceful sham, illegal and unconstitutional.
“The exercise was a reckless waste of public funds, and an irresponsible incitement to further violence in an already volatile atmosphere in the state.”
The party urged Adeleke to end the anti-democratic push for fresh local government elections and abide by the valid judgment of the Court of Appeal in the matter.
Morka called on police authorities and other security agencies to prevent further breakdown of law and order in the state.
“In keeping with the rule of law, it is our expectation that the Federal Government will make federal allocation for local governments available only to democratically elected and judicially certified local government officials in Osun State.
“The people of Osun state deserve to live in peace and security. Governor Adeleke must quit his political infantilism and uphold peace and constitutional order in the state,” he stated.
OSSIEC presents certificates
Earlier on Sunday, the chairmen and councillors elected in the February 22, 2025, election were presented with their certificates of return.
A statement signed by the Information Officer of the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission, Sadiat Isiaka, obtained in Osogbo, on Sunday, said the commission’s chairman, Hashim Abioye, presented the council officials their certificates.
The statement noted that “The OSSIEC chairman congratulated the elected chairmen on their victory, just as he urged them to be good ambassadors of democracy both in conduct and service to the people.”
PDP hails Adeleke
The PDP commended Adeleke and the people for the successful local government election, describing it as a victory for democracy and the rule of law.
The PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, in a statement on Sunday, said the party’s decisive win reflected the people’s support for Adeleke’s remarkable achievements in infrastructure, citizen empowerment, and human capital development.
Ologunagba praised the people of Osun State for their courage in asserting their sovereignty and constitutional rights by turning out in large numbers to vote.
He stated, “The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) congratulates Governor Ademola Adeleke, the government and the people of Osun State for the successful conduct and outcome of the Saturday, February 22, 2025, local government area election in the state.
“The success and outcome of the free, fair, transparent and credible LG election conducted by the OSSIEC is a resounding triumph of democracy, the rule of law, the constitutional principle of true federalism and the will of the people of Osun State over the All Progressives Congress (APC) anti-democratic forces that sought to illegally and forcefully take control of their state.
“Our party salutes the people of Osun State for the courage in asserting their sovereignty and constitutional right by coming out en masse to vote in the election, despite the vicious attempt by the APC to intimidate them and subvert the democratic process.”
PDP said its overwhelming victory in all 30 local government areas of the state, despite the alleged APC interference, showcased its political dominance in Osun, the South-West region, and nationwide.
NBA chides court
The President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Afam Osigwe (SAN), has criticised the Federal High Court for entertaining the suit brought before it concerning local government council disputes in Osun State.
Osigwe argued that the crisis in the state could be traced to the Federal High Court’s decisions, stating that federal courts have no jurisdiction over matters relating to local government councils.
Speaking with The PUNCH in a telephone conversation on Sunday, Osigwe noted that although he had not read the court judgments to provide a fully informed opinion on the matter, he questioned why senior lawyers filed a suit involving local government issues at the federal high court, instead of the state high court.
He also queried why the federal high court entertained such a matter.
He said, “Because I have not read the Court of Appeal judgment, I will not venture an opinion on it, but I think there is a part of the conversation that should concern us.
“What is the business of the federal high court in giving decisions one way or the other concerning local government elections in the state? That is the root of the problem in Osun State.
“Does the federal high court have jurisdiction to make pronouncements on whether a law passed concerning local government elections is valid or invalid?
“Does it have the power to do so? Why are cases like this brought to the federal high court instead of the state high court where they ought to be determined?
This is the starting point. All the cases referred to that went on appeal originated from the federal high court. Why are senior lawyers and other lawyers filing such cases in the federal high court? Why does the federal high court entertain these cases when it ought not to?”
Observers laud OSSIEC
The Coalition of Election Observer Groups has commended OSSIEC and residents for ensuring that last Saturday’s poll was held in a peaceful atmosphere.
Addressing journalists in Osogbo on Sunday, the coalition observed the determination of voters to participate in the poll, despite “intimidation and provocations from certain political figures and security personnel.”
The group’s chairman, Declan Ihekaire, who spoke on behalf of the coalition, expressed disappointment over the alleged threat by the police to discourage participation in the poll.
He also criticised what he called unwarranted arrests of some OSSIEC officials during the election.
