Adeleke Rejects Osun Emergency, Blames APC Backdoor Plot

Osun Governor Rejects Emergency Rule Call, Blames Opposition for Instability

Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke has dismissed recent appeals for a state of emergency, calling the demand a political tactic by the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) to regain power. His statement follows concerns raised by some civil society groups over security and administrative developments in the southwestern state.

Governor Adeleke alleged the groups are “faceless” and that the emergency call is orchestrated by his predecessor, former Governor Gboyega Oyetola, and the APC’s governorship candidate, Bola Oyebamiji. He accused the APC of deliberately creating unrest to destabilize his administration.

According to the governor, the root of the crisis stems from actions taken by the APC before his 2022 election. He claimed the party “seized and mismanaged” local government funds and illegally maintained control of council administrations after elected officials’ tenures expired. This, he said, was a strategy to provoke conflict and later blame his government.

“The APC seized local government funds, mismanaged the same, and forcefully occupied the councils, all in a bid to provoke violence and conflict,” Adeleke stated. He described Oyetola and his allies as “the most hated political actors in Osun” for their role at the local level.

The governor counter-claimed that his administration has maintained peace despite what he termed “open confrontation and persistent illegality” by APC-aligned actors. He maintained that the emergency call is a “desperate move born of frustration” after the opposition’s alleged plans to destabilize the state failed.

Adeleke faulted attempts to hold his government responsible for the local government crisis, emphasizing that the instability originates from the continued occupation of councils by officials whose terms have lapsed. He added that his government stepped in to pay local council workers who were allegedly abandoned during the APC’s tenure.

He warned that no individual or group would be permitted to disrupt the state’s peace and directed the state Commissioner of Police to monitor and prevent any violence. He also called on the Inspector-General of Police to take note of the situation.

Furthermore, Adeleke appealed to President Bola Tinubu to intervene, urging him to call former Governor Oyetola—now a Minister—to order, warning that such actions could tarnish the presidency’s image. “Those seeking power should face the electorate,” he said. “Political power is secured through the people; no backdoor access will work.”

The political friction highlights ongoing tensions over local government control in Osun, a recurring issue in Nigerian federal-states relations. The governor’s rejection of federal intervention underscores a commitment to managing the crisis locally, while his direct appeal to the president signals an effort to elevate the political dispute to the national level.