Politics
Osun political crisis deepens as parties clash over LG leadership
The political face-off in Osun State escalated on Tuesday as the All Progressives Congress, APC, and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, continued their heated dispute over the legitimacy of local government chairmen and councillors.
This battle is intensifying as both political parties have reportedly drawn the attention of the Federal Government.
The latest controversy follows a letter from the Osun State Government introducing newly elected chairmen and councillors to the Attorney-General of the Federation, AGF, Lateef Fagbemi, the Accountant-General of the Federation, Shamsedeen Babatunde Ogunjimi, and the Central Bank Governor, Yemi Cardoso.
This move has sparked outrage within the state APC chapter, which labelled the introduced officials as impostors and called on the Federal Government to reject their recognition.
In a statement, the Osun APC Director of Media and Information, Kola Olabisi, said: “We want to put it on record that the PDP chieftains introduced by the Secretary to the State Government, Mr Kazeem Igbalaye, are impersonators.
“There was no election that produced these individuals, and the Court of Appeal’s ruling on 10th February 2025 reinstated the local government executives elected in October 2022.”
APC insisted that the state government’s decision disregards the professional advice of the AGF, who had earlier advised Governor Ademola Adeleke not to conduct fresh elections, as the reinstated 2022 chairmen and councillors were yet to complete their tenure.
Despite this, the Osun PDP maintained that the appointments were valid and accused the APC of distorting facts.
Sunday Bisi, the Osun PDP chairman, stated: “The Osun APC is hallucinating. The Federal Government is already reviewing its stance on the Osun local government face-off. Certified court judgements have been submitted, and no ruling reinstated the so-called Yes/No chairmen the APC claims are legitimate.”
PDP argued that the Court of Appeal ruling provided no consequential orders for the reinstatement of the 2022 chairmen and councillors and accused APC of misinformation.
“The Federal Ministry of Justice is in possession of all relevant judgements and is currently reviewing the situation,” Bisi added.
Security concerns have also surfaced as both political parties trade accusations and counter-accusations.
APC pointed out that the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, had advised against holding the local government elections due to an unfavourable security situation—advice they claimed Governor Ademola Adeleke ignored.
“The IGP’s counsel was equally disregarded,” Olabisi said. “Now we see the consequences of this desperation for power. We urge the Federal Government to ignore this illegitimate introduction of impostors and uphold the rule of law.”
PDP, however, countered with allegations of violence from the Osun APC camp.
“Despite losing six of our members to political attacks, we opted for a peaceful resolution by reaching out to the AGF and other federal officials,” Bisi claimed.
Tensions heightened following the unresolved murder of Remi Abass, former chairman of Irewole Local Government and an APC leader.
“Rather than focusing on introducing illegitimate officials, Governor Adeleke should help law enforcement agencies bring the murderers within his party to justice,” Olabisi insisted.
Meanwhile, the legal battle remains a core issue in the crisis, as APC accused the state government of seeking a pliable judge in the state High Court to overturn the Akure Court of Appeal ruling.
The Osun APC described this action as a blatant disregard for judicial hierarchy.
“It is unheard of that a judgement debtor would approach a lower court to overturn the decision of a superior court. This is nothing but an attempt to purchase justice at all costs,” Olabisi maintained.
PDP, however, remains confident that the Federal Government will decide in its favour.
“We have dismantled the house of lies the APC built. The certified true copies of judgements are now with the Federal Ministry of Justice, and we believe President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will ensure the right decision is made,” Bisi declared.
Chairman, Policy Manifesto Committee of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, John Odigie-Oyegun, says former president Muhammadu Buhari gave him the shock of his life, six months into his administration as Nigeria’s leader.
Oyegun made this disclosure on Friday when he featured in an interview on Arise Television’s ‘Prime Time’.
He revealed that as National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, he went to tell Buhari that he was not delivering his election promises to Nigerians but that the late president told him he would not rule with strictness, but rather wanted to show Nigerians that he is a true civilian president.
The former APC National Chairman lamented that it became business as usual, from there.
“I was national chairman of the APC. Six months or less into our assuming office, fairly alarmed, I went to the late President Buhari for a one-on-one talk. I said Mr President, this is not what the people were expecting. They wanted a bit of the old president Buhari.
“And he explained to me, Mr Chairman, I have learned my lesson. I was shocked. And don’t forget at that time, a lot of prominent Nigerians took their holidays abroad, just to be sure and see what this new sheriff in town will be.
“Buhari told me he wants to now show the people that he’s a true civilian president in Agbada. And by the time we finished the conversation, I said Oh God, we are finished. Because, if he’s not ready to be strict, what’s the point?
“Weeks later, months later, years later, I was proven correct. And of course, it became business as usual, only that they are a new set of tenants in Aso Rock. That was a shocker,” he said.
Former lawmaker, Dino Melaye Esq, has raised concerns over the Senate’s reported rejection of the electronic transmission of election results.
The move, according to Melaye, is a clear endorsement of election rigging and an indication of a sinister plan to rig the 2027 elections.
In a statement on Friday, the former lawmaker criticized the Senate’s decision, stating that it undermines the credibility of the electoral process.
The African Democratic Congress, ADC chieftain, also stated that the move opens the door for electoral manipulation and fraud.
He further warned that the rejection of electronic transmission of results is a step backwards for democracy in Nigeria.
Melaye called on lawmakers and citizens to stand up against “this blatant attempt to undermine the will of the people and ensure that future elections are free, fair, and transparent”.
Former Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili, has said Nigerians have every reason to be mad at the Senate over the ongoing debate on e-transmission of election results.
Ezekwesili made this known on Friday when she featured in an interview on Arise Television’s ‘Morning Show’ monitored by DAILY POST.
DAILY POST reports that the Senate on Wednesday turned down a proposed change to Clause 60, Subsection 3, of the Electoral Amendment Bill that aimed to compel the electronic transmission of election results.
Reacting to the matter, Ezekwesili said, “The fundamental issue with the review of the Electoral Act is that the Senate retained the INEC 2022 Act, Section 60 Sub 5.
“This section became infamous for the loophole it provided INEC, causing Nigerians to lose trust. Since the law established that it wasn’t mandatory for INEC to transmit electoral results in real-time, there wasn’t much anyone could say.
“Citizens embraced the opportunity to reform the INEC Act, aiming to address ambiguity and discretionary opportunities for INEC. Yet, the Senate handled it with a “let sleeping dogs lie” approach. The citizens have every reason to be as outraged as they currently are.”
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