Osun Govt, APC trade allegations over takeover of LG secretariats

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The All Progressives Congress, or APC, and its members have been charged by the Osun State Government with committing acts of violence in local government secretariats around the state.

This charge was made by the state administration on Monday morning in Osogbo during a live radio broadcast on Rave FM, Uniq FM, and the state-owned LivingSpring FM, which ZINGTIE was watching.

Kolapo Alimi, the state government’s Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, disclosed that the secretariats of the Ilesa East, Ifelodun, Odo-Otin, Osogbo West, and Osogbo Local Governments had been attacked by criminals working for the APC.

He said: “We can now confirm that the APC and their thugs have entered several local government secretariats in the state. They have started looting from these secretariats.

“They are in Ilesa East, Ifelodun, and Odo-Otin local governments. They have entered the secretariats and started looting. The people have risen to resist them. We must let the whole world know.

“Also, the whole world should know that, as we speak, the election scheduled for Saturday, 22 February 2025, will proceed as planned.”

He advised the crowd to gather video evidence that could be used against the accused looters in the future rather than resorting to violence against them.

Waheed Adekunle, an APC member, denied the accusations, stating that they were false.

Adekunle said that although APC members were present at the secretariats, their sole purpose was to enforce the ruling of the Appeal Court from Monday, February 10, 2025.

He said: “All the state government and the Peoples Democratic Party are doing is whipping up sentiments and inflaming tensions in the state.

“We are at the secretariats to enforce the court’s judgment, which is legal, and we are carrying this out with the full cooperation of security agencies, including the Nigeria Police and the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps.”

ZINGTIE also learned that, in contrast to Alimi’s claims, APC members and elected council representatives had assembled at the secretariats but were unable to enter because of a previous order from the National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) and the Osun Council of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC). Citing safety concerns, these unions told their members to stop working at local government secretariats around the state on Sunday.

The unions clarified in separate statements released on Sunday that they had requested members to avoid the council headquarters for their own safety.

During a news conference on Sunday, state governor Ademola Adeleke also charged that the state APC and Adegboyega Oyetola, the minister of marine and blue economy, were preparing to start a violent takeover of local government secretariats.

In order to stop needless violence, Governor Adeleke encouraged security forces to step in and urged President Bola Tinubu to control Oyetola.

At a separate press conference, the APC responded by urging Governor Adeleke to accept the Appeal Court’s ruling.

He was also chastised by the party for demeaning Adegboyega Oyetola, the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, and the President.

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