Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke
With the conclusion of the tension-soaked August 15 governorship election, Osun State Government has warned individuals and groups against disrupting public peace in the state.
It urged political actors and residents to embrace reconciliation following the governorship election.
Also, it called on security agencies to ensure the restoration of law and order amid reports of possible fresh crises in some parts of the state.
The call was in a statement issued on Sunday by the state Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, where the government expressed condolences to victims of pre-election violence and called for healing in the post-election period.
According to the statement, “The government also noted the immediate post- election disruptions in some areas of the state and urged all residents and citizens of the state to allow restoration of peaceful co- existence and rule based interactions among all sectors of the society.
“The government is particularly disturbed by reports of plans by some stakeholders to ignite fresh rounds of crisis across local government councils and motor parks across the state.
“If such plan is true, the government said it should stop immediately, saying the state “needs peace for development, not violence in politics.”
It added, “The Osun election has been won and lost. Mr President and Mr Governor had engaged on a peaceful way forward. Any push towards violence represents an affront on the Presidency and the Nigerian Constitution.”
It called on security agencies to enforce the rule of law by ensuring the release of political detainees and ending what it described as perceived partisan policing, particularly in local government and motor park management.
The government also urged political actors to conduct themselves peacefully, saying the state should now focus on healing and development.
“We call on all political actors to speak and act peacefully. Osun should be in a period of healing and building. We must not allow a relapse into the pre-election era of killings and violence,” the statement said.
The development comes days after Governor Ademola Adeleke commended the APC governorship candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, for calling for peace following his meeting with President Bola Tinubu in Abuja.
Adeleke said Oyebamiji’s peace advocacy was “a positive tone after weeks of heated campaign and election season” and urged political leaders to join hands in moving the state forward.
