By Michael Ofulue, Osogbo

The Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has called on the Presidency, the Inspector-General of Police, the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), the National Security Adviser (NSA), and the Commandant-General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps to beam their searchlight on Governor Ademola Adeleke over alleged plans to plunge the state into chaos.

In a statement by the state party chairman, Sooko Tajudeen Lawal, made available to journalists in Osogbo, the party alleged that the governor has perfected arrangements to plunge the state into monumental chaos as a result of his brazen disobedience to the February 10, 2025, Court of Appeal judgment that reinstated the APC local government council chairmen and councillors.

The party said the refusal of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)-led administration in Osun State to abide by the said judgment had, two months ago, led to the killing of one of the reinstated local government council chairmen, Hon. Remi Abass, the chairman of Irewole Local Government area, and no fewer than five other members of the APC across the state, following an instigating press conference by Governor Adeleke.

“Over the period since the Court of Appeal judgment was delivered, the third tier of government in the state has been paralysed, as Governor Adeleke has allegedly induced local government council workers, under the aegis of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), to withdraw their services,” the statement read.

“It was in the midst of these political upheavals that Adeleke held a purported local government council election, despite the advice of the Attorney General of the Federation, Mr. Lateef Fagbemi SAN, and the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Egbetokun, who counseled the governor against proceeding with the election.

They maintained that there were no vacancies for fresh elections and that security reports were unfavourable.”

“What the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSSIEC), under the chairmanship of Mr. Hashim Abioye, a known card-carrying member of the PDP, did was to concoct election results, declaring all PDP candidates winners in the make-believe elections that never held.”

“Governor Adeleke later swore in the illegally-appointed PDP council chairmen and councillors with fanfare and directed them to stay away from their respective local government secretariats.”

“Rather than approach the Supreme Court to appeal the February 10, 2025, Court of Appeal judgment, Governor Adeleke has allegedly been engaging in forum shopping, seeking pliable judges in the State High Court to procure a favourable judgment that would set aside the verdict of the Court of Appeal.”

“It is stranger than fiction that a state governor could contemplate approaching a lower court to set aside the judgment of a superior court.”

“In order to carry out his plan, Governor Adeleke has allegedly succeeded in finding two amenable High Court judges who would issue an order of mandamus against him, allowing the illegally-elected PDP local government council chairmen and councillors to resume duties across the state.”

“It was further gathered that, to facilitate the resumption of the illegal council chairmen, the leadership of the Amotekun Corps in the state has been placed on standby to work with non-state actors and imported thugs from the Niger Delta, Eastern Nigeria, Bauchi, Lagos, and Oyo States, to escort them to the council secretariats with maximum force and violence.”

“Additionally, it was revealed that a popular musician, who is allegedly an enabler of the political crisis in the state, has offered to unleash members of his secret cult to support the operation and destabilize the peace of the state.”

“Further investigations revealed that the leadership of the PDP and top government officials in the state held meetings with organised labour leaders, particularly those of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), NULGE, the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), and student unions, to form part of the team that would lead the illegally-elected council chairmen to the local government secretariats on April 15, 2025.”

“Our position as a party founded on the rule of law is not to breach the law, hence we will disregard any illegally-procured order or judgment from any kangaroo court. As is widely known, a gentleman during a crisis may be tagged a fool.”

“We use this medium to appeal to parents and guardians in our state to warn their children and wards not to be used by disgruntled and desperate politicians for any thuggery capable of throwing the state into chaos.”

“It is important to remind those disregarding the Court of Appeal judgment reinstating the APC council chairmen and councillors that they are pushing the state toward anarchy.”

“This is why it is expedient for statutory security agencies not to treat the issue of security in Osun State with levity, as what affects one part may ultimately affect the whole.”