Governors elected on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’s platform have urged relevant authorities to act responsible to forestall imminent breakdown of law and order ahead of Saturday’s Local Government Councils’ election in Osun State.
This is as they declared support for their Osun State counterpart, Ademola Adeleke, in his effort to restore order and protect the lives and property of residents in the state.
Acting under the umbrella of the Peoples Democratic Party Governors’ Forum (PDPGF), the Governors noted with deep concern the recent political violence in Osun State, which led to the loss of lives and the destruction of property.
Chairman of PDP-GF, who is also the Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, said the PDP-GF’s concern stems from the fact that Governor Adeleke had warned about the imminent breakdown of law and order and appealed to responsible authorities to act to forestall this.
Mohammed said; “The PDPGF condemns in its entirety the resort to self-help by political players whose conduct ought to have been guided by the provisions of extant laws in a democratic society.
“The Forum further notes with deep worry the resort to violence as a means of settling political and legal disputes and warns all those fanning the embers of discord to desist forthwith.
“The PDPGF commends the Governor of Osun State for the timely warning in the form of statements he issued before these political actors resorted to violence. His action is a mark of exemplary leadership.
“Thus, the PDDGF appeals to President Bola Tinubu, the Director General of DSS, the Inspector General of Police and the heads of other law enforcement agencies to move quickly and direct all law enforcement agencies to without further delay, contain the situation in Osun State, restore law and order and guarantee the preservation of lives and property before it spirals out of control.
“The PDPGF also notes that political leadership should be about patriotic sacrifice and service to the people and not about bloodbath and violent criminal conducts and thus, charges all the stakeholders in Osun State to abide by the law.
“In this regard, the PDPGF further avers that with regard to the protection of lives and property, there are no partisan divides or ideological divisions.
“Every political leader should be serving the people and working towards their safety, protection, and welfare.
“The PDPGF is desirous of seeing a full and total return of normalcy in Osun State, the restoration of law and order, and the quick identification and decisive trial of all those charged with violent disruption of the peace in Osun State.”
Vote Your Chairmen, Councillors Peacefully – Adeleke Urges Residents
Governor Adeleke yesterday also called on residents of the state to go out and exercise voting rights peacefully, tasking politicians to abide by the rule of law amidst political crisis in the state.
In a statement by his Spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, the Governor said peace has returned to the State after an illegal takeover of Council secretariats by the “Court-sacked APC chairmen and Councilors”.
He noted that State residents’ compliance with his stay away from council secretariats helped save the state from further crisis, which could have engulfed it in the face of confrontation.
The statement reads; “I urge all registered voters to vote in the local government election of Saturday, 22nd February 2025, and to conduct themselves peacefully at all times.
“I particularly appreciate and commend our people for complying with my directive to stay away from local government secretariats. The compliance saved our state from further confrontations and casualties. It has returned the state of the living spring to its peaceful and loving nature.”
Saturday Poll Will Hold, Despite Takeover — Osun Govt
Amid the controversy, the Osun State Government, yesterday, insisted that despite the purported takeover of local government council secretariats by members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in the state, the local government council election would go on as scheduled on Saturday.
While speaking with newsmen, the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi said the disruptive activities of the council would not affect the poll.
According to him, the action of the APC is targeted at stopping the poll but stated that no one has the capacity to stop the electoral process which started last year, saying the electoral body would complete the process and new elected council officials would be sworn-in.
Alimi said; “All of these is aimed at truncating the electoral process, but as a government, we will provide an enabling environment for the process to be completed and Saturday and we urge everyone to come out and exercise their civic rights.”
However, a chieftain of the APC, Olatunbosun Oyintiloye has urged President Tinubu to prevail on Governor Adeleke to stop the council polls to prevent crisis in the state.
He said; “I want to appeal to the president to prevail on Gov. Adeleke not to go ahead with the election for security reasons. All we want in the state is peace, and anything that can jeopardise the peaceful atmosphere should be avoided.
“Presently, there is no vacuum in all the 30 council areas in the state due to the Court of Appeal judgement that reinstated the APC chairmen and councillors.
“Governor Adeleke must protect tenets of democracy and have a respect for the rule of law that brought him to power.”
