– reinstated APC chairmen vow to resume
Gun-wielding policemen have been deployed to the 30 council secretariats im Osun State to beef up security
This is to avert probable clashes between members of the ruling Peoples Democratic party (PDP) and the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) in the councils.
The two parties have continued to lay claims to the control of the councils following the Court of Appeal ruling on Friday.
Some APC chairmen were said to have resumed in most council secretariats in the state on Monday.
Security sources said that the deployment of policemen followed an intelligence report from some quarters that supporters of both parties were poised for a showdown following last Friday’s judgment on the disputes over which party controls the local government issues.
In fact, heavily armed policemen, were seen at different secretariats keeping vigil.
Police authorities reportedly took this step to prevent a possible breakdown of law and order, as the rage between PDP members and their APC counterparts over the existing stalemate on which party should administer the councils, intensified.
At some local government headquarters like Olorunda, Osogbo, Egbedore, Boluwaduro, Irepodun, Oriade and Ila, operatives from mobile and tactical squads were seen patrolling.
Besides, some officers of the Nigerian Police Force, and the Nigeria security and Civil Defence Corps NSCDC were seen manning the places to ensure peace and order.
A police officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, claimed that some suspected hoodlums initially came out, but quickly retreated because of the presence of the law enforcement personnel.
“We were dispatched to this place to maintain peace and orderliness and to ensure there is no pandemonium in the council.
“A group of miscreants and hoodlums was seen very early on Monday morning, but immediately they saw policemen on the ground, they ran away,” he said.
Speaking on the deployment of the personnel, the state’s Police Command spokesman, Mr. Abiodun Ojelabi, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, DSP, explained that the security presence was to maintain peace in all parts of the state.
His words : “Our duty is to provide security to ensure that there is no breakdown of law and order.
“We are not into politics; we are just to ensure safety. Our deployment has been done and I urge the people of Osun State to go about their businesses.”
Shortly after the last week Friday Appeal court judgement, two rival factions of the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON) emerged, taking conflicting positions on the verdict.
The ALGON chairman loyal to the PDP, Sarafadeen Awotunde said that with the judgement, the court has nailed the matter to rest.
“The Court of Appeal that gave the judgment on Friday knows the next step to take to chase out those hooligans.
“The government is continuing. We respect the rule of law; this issue is not between Osun APC and PDP but APC against the people of Osun State.
“We are not interested in disrupting the peace and good governance we are enjoying in Osun State under Governor Ademola Adeleke.
‘Resumption does not matter to us for now but the developmental projects that we are enjoying in Osun State.”
Conversely, the other factional ALGON chairman loyal to APC, Mr Abiodun Idowu said the reinstated APC chairmen and councillors remain the lawful occupants of the council offices.
He maintained that the party officials remained the lawful occupants of the council offices.
“The keys to the councils are with us. We have an enrollment order confirming our legitimacy. Let the PDP’s illegal officials show the police their own enrollment order.
“There is no fear; we are in control of the local governments, which is why our enrollment order made the Inspector General of Police deploy his men to us. No fear; Osun residents should go about their normal businesses,” Idowu advised.
