A coalition of civil society organisations in Osun State on Saturday urged President Bola Tinubu to declare a state of emergency in the state, citing the crisis over political control of local government areas involving the state government and the All Progressives Congress.
The coalition — comprising the Centre for Justice Initiatives (CJI), Community Advocacy and Initiative for Local Government Development (ILGD), and Centre for Justice and Community Advocacy, Nigeria (CJCAN) — declared that parties involved in the crisis have so far resisted constitutional and political interventions.
The call was, however, rejected by Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, who said the CSOs pushing for emergency rule have ulterior motives inimical to the progress of the state.
In a statement signed on behalf of the coalition by the spokesperson for Community Advocacy and Initiative for Local Government Development, Kanyinsola Adebayo, the group accused Governor Ademola Adeleke of “continued in a brazen and dangerous disregard for the judgments of Appeal and Supreme Courts particularly those recognizing the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led chairmen and councillors as the lawful administrators of local governments in the state.”
She further stated that “constitutional order has collapsed,” in Osun and blamed the situation on the government’s alleged misrepresentation and distortion of “clear court judgements,” citing refusal to obey court verdicts and continued illegal interference in the administration of local governments.
“By these actions, the Osun State Government has effectively placed itself above the Constitution. This is not a political disagreement; it is a constitutional breakdown. Section 1(3) of the Constitution is unambiguous: any action inconsistent with the Constitution is null and void. Governance in Osun State is no longer being carried out in accordance with the Constitution.
“We call on the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to declare a state of emergency in Osun State, strictly within the confines of the Constitution, for the purpose of restoring the rule of law, enforcing court judgments, and protecting innocent citizens.”
Reacting, Adeleke, in a swift statement signed by his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, called on security agencies to monitor those allegedly planning to plunge Osun into crisis and described the call for emergency rule as a “continuation of the failed plot by the Osun APC leadership to seize power through the backdoor after their consistent failure to win the support of Osun people.”
Adeleke alleged that the All Progressives Congress was behind the non-release of funds due to local government areas in the state, accusing it of mismanaging “and forceful occupation of the councils, all in a bid to provoke violence and conflict. This is a deliberate strategy to create chaos and blame it on the Adeleke-led administration.”
He added, “How can any sane person blame Governor Adeleke when it was the APC illegal chairmen who had criminally hijacked the local government and who had refused to quit office after the expiration of their self-awarded tenure?”
Warning those he described as agents of violence and conflict, Adeleke directed the State Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Gothan, to monitor and stop the alleged plot to plunge Osun into open conflict.
He also urged the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to take note of developments in the state and deploy personnel as necessary.
Local government administration in Osun has been bedevilled by crises between the Peoples Democratic Party and the All Progressives Congress over political control of the councils.
At the height of the crisis, the then chairman of Irewole Local Government Area, Remi Abbas, and five others were killed in violent clashes involving PDP and APC members across the state.