Adeleke raises alarm over alleged plot to unleash mayhem in Osun

Ademola Adeleke, the governor of Osun State, has raised an alarm over an alleged plot to cause unrest in the state, accusing Gboyega Oyetola, the minister of Marine and Blue Economy, of orchestrating a plan to enforce a “non-existing court judgment” regarding the state’s local government administration.

Addressing a press conference on Sunday, Adeleke alleged that Oyetola, in collaboration with security agencies, was attempting to reinstate local government chairmen and councillors sacked by a subsisting court ruling.

“This evil plot is being spearheaded by the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Mr Gboyega Oyetola, in active collaboration with the Osun State Commissioner of Police, the Osun State Director of DSS, and the State Commandant of the Civil Defense Corps,” Adeleke said.

The governor insisted that the dismissed officials were removed by two separate judgments of the Federal High Court in Osogbo before he assumed office. He denied claims that he sacked them via an executive order.

“For emphasis, I want to state that I had nothing to do with the sacking of the chairmen and councillors produced by the Osun 2022 local government polls,” he said. “The chairmen and councillors were sacked by two different judgments of the Federal High Court Osogbo.”

Adeleke further explained that while an appeal by the All Progressives Congress (APC) led to the striking out of one of the judgments, the court did not order the reinstatement of the sacked officials. He argued that another court ruling against the officials remains valid.

“The APC in its amended notice of appeal asked the Court of Appeal to reinstate the sacked chairmen and councillors, but the Court of Appeal in its wisdom said it has become an academic exercise. The request for the reinstatement of the chairmen and councillors was not granted,” he noted.

The governor alleged that Oyetola had been issuing illegal directives to security operatives to enforce the disputed judgment, warning that such actions could lead to violence in the state.

“We have it on good authority that Mr Gboyega Oyetola has instructed the Osun State Commissioner of Police, the State Director of the DSS, and the State Commandant of the Civil Defense Corps to mobilise security operatives from within Osun to effect the non-existent judgment by forcefully taking over the local governments on Monday,” he alleged.

Adeleke called on President Bola Tinubu to intervene, insisting that his administration would not tolerate any unconstitutional takeover of local government administration.

“I therefore appeal to Mr President, who is a renowned democrat, to insist on the rule of law by instructing the Inspector General of Police, the Director General of DSS, and the Commandant General of the Civil Defense Corps not to obey an illegal order from his nephew, Mr Gboyega Oyetola,” Adeleke urged.

He also warned that the public should hold Oyetola and security chiefs responsible for any breakdown of law and order in Osun State.

“As much as we will do our best to maintain peace, we call on men and women of goodwill to intervene before it is too late,” he concluded.

As of press time, there had been no official response from Oyetola or the security agencies mentioned in Adeleke’s statement.