By John Dike, Osogbo
Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke, has described calls for the declaration of a state of emergency in Osun State as an act of desperation orchestrated by a failed opposition.
He made this known in reaction to what he described as calls by faceless civil society groups for a state of emergency in the state, branding the move as a failed and desperate ploy by former governor Gboyega Oyetola and former Commissioner for Finance, Bola Oyebamiji, to destabilise Osun State.
In a statement issued on Saturday in Osogbo by his spokesperson, Mallam Olawale Rasheed, Governor Adeleke said the call represents the latest attempt by the Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to seize power through the backdoor after repeatedly failing to secure the support of the electorate.
The governor accused the APC of being the primary source of political tension in the state, particularly at the local government level.
“We reiterate well-known facts in the public domain that the APC is the main source of disturbance in Osun State—paralysing local governments, mismanaging local government funds, and illegally deploying security agencies,” the statement said.
According to the governor, the forceful occupation of local government councils by APC-backed officials and the alleged seizure and mismanagement of council funds were deliberate acts designed to provoke violence and blame the resulting instability on the Adeleke-led administration.
He maintained that despite what he described as open confrontation and illegality, his administration has continued to uphold peace and stability across the state.
“The call for a state of emergency is an act of frustration and desperation. There is absolutely no basis or justification for such a demand,” the governor declared.
Governor Adeleke questioned the rationale behind accusing his administration of creating a crisis when, according to him, APC-backed officials remained in office illegally after the expiration of their tenures and allegedly hijacked local government funds in violation of established financial laws.
He further stated that his administration had continued to pay local government workers’ salaries using state funds after the workers were allegedly abandoned by the APC-backed council officials.
“How can Governor Adeleke be blamed when he has been using state resources to cater for local government workers while illegal chairmen were allegedly sharing billions meant for grassroots development?” the statement queried.
The governor noted that his handling of the local government crisis has earned commendation across the country, while describing the Osun APC as anti-people and anti-democratic.
Governor Adeleke warned individuals and groups plotting violence that the state would no longer tolerate lawlessness.
“Osun has gone past the era of brute force. No individual or group will be allowed to disturb the peace of the state. Anyone found instigating violence will face the full wrath of the law,” he said.
He disclosed that he had directed the Commissioner of Police to monitor and prevent any attempt to plunge the state into conflict, and called on the Inspector General of Police to closely observe developments and take necessary action.
Governor Adeleke also appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to caution Minister Gboyega Oyetola, warning that the actions of the former governor were casting the Presidency in a bad light.
“Those seeking power should face the electorate. Political power comes from the people, not through unconstitutional shortcuts. Osun people will not bow to impunity,” the governor said.
