Palpable tension has enveloped Osun State following Governor Ademola Adeleke’s insistence to conduct the controversial Local Government election despite security threats and stiff resistance from opposition parties.
SOCIETAL WATCH reports that stakeholders, particularly opposition parties and security agencies, have raised concerns over the security situation in the state, predicting unrest.
The concerns followed previous events where members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and the All Progressives Congress, APC, clashed, resulting in the death of at least six party members on Monday.
The crisis escalated when the previously sacked local government chairmen and councillors moved to return to council offices after a court judgement.
The APC members had moved to enforce the judgment of the Court of Appeal, Akure Division, delivered on February 10, 2025, which overturned their sack by the verdict of the Osogbo Federal High Court on November 25, 2022.
Recall that a judgment by Justice Nathaniel Ayo-Emmanuel of an Osogbo Federal High Court, delivered on November 25, 2022, had sacked the chairmen and councillors elected in the poll conducted by the immediate past Osun State Governor, Adegboyega Oyetola.
However, the Court of Appeal nullified the judgment on February 10 this year, leading to chaos across all the Local Government Areas in the state.
Despite resistance from the PDP members, the reinstated Chairmen insisted that the planned election must be cancelled until their tenure elapsed in October 2025.
AGF warns Governor Adeleke against disobeying Appeal Court ruling
Wading into the crisis on Thursday, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi urged Governor Adeleke to respect the Appeal Court judgement, stating that the tenure of the chairmen and the councillors has been restored.
The AGF accused Governor Adeleke of attempting to override the judiciary and warned that proceeding with the election would constitute a serious violation of the Nigerian constitution.
According to him, such elections will “not only be invalid since the term of office of the elected officials just restored by the judgment of the Court of Appeal will still be running until October 2025, but it will also amount to an egregious breach of the Constitution which Governor Adeleke has sworn to uphold”.
Court orders conduct of polls Saturday
Despite the legal advice from the AGF, an Osun State High Court in Ilesa on Friday ordered the State Independent Electoral Commission, OSSIEC, to conduct elections for the LG chairmen and councillors in all the 30 council areas on Saturday (today).
Justice A. Aderigbigbe, who gave the judgement, stated that there is vacancy in the 30 local government areas of the state as earlier held in a judgement by the Federal High Court.
The court also directed and compelled all the security agencies, including the Nigeria Police, Department of State Services, DSS, Nigerian Army, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps, NSCDC, among others, to provide adequate security, during and after the election.
OSSIEC not ready to conduct election – Labour Party backs out
In a chat with DAILY POST on Friday night, Prince Adebayo Bello, the State Chairman of the Labour Party in Osun State, declared that the state electoral body is not ready for the election.
The LP Chairman alleged that OSSIEC out-rightly refused to issue tags to the party agents, stating that participating in such elections without a tag would subject the agents to threats.
He said, “We are ready to participate in a very conducive atmosphere whereby there will be adequate security provided and assured.
However, OSSIEC did not give us party agents’ tags and we think they are not prepared for the election, because we can’t put the lives of our party agents in danger for lack of proper means of identification for collation of results.
“Our party candidates today advised OSSIEC via a press briefing to postpone the election for them to fully prepare”.
There is tension, residents have vowed to stay indoors – Security source
Although the Police Public Relations Officer of the Osun State Command, Opalola Yemisi could not take her calls when contacted, a police source, who spoke to DAILY POST anonymously on Friday night confirmed tension across the state.
He said, “Due to what happened on Monday when people were killed, most residents, including some security operatives, are scared of what may play out tomorrow.
“Like they say, when two elephants fight, the grass suffers. Most times when the thugs clash, the innocent citizens are the ones who suffer the consequences.
“Of course, the police are not left out as we are often the first target. They are planning to use the Amotekun but we all know that thugs will wear the uniform tomorrow. I don’t blame residents that have vowed to stay indoors until the election is over”.
Similarly, the Nigeria Police Force, NPF, in a statement signed by the Force PRO, Olumuyiwa Adejobi called for the immediate suspension of the elections due to security threats.
The police claimed that they received credible intelligence indicating a high likelihood of violence and significant security threats if the Governor proceeds with the election as planned.
According to him, “various groups, including political elements and other interest parties, are mobilizing to instigate unrest, disrupt public peace, and undermine the democratic order.
“Given this imminent threat to security, the NPF strongly advises the Osun State Government to suspend the planned elections forthwith in the interest of public safety and national stability.”
