The Osun state caucus in the National Assembly on Monday asked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to direct the National Security Adviser and the Inspector General of Police to immediately restore law and order in Osun State.
The caucus cautioned against allowing a breakdown of law and order in the state and allowing political thugs to threaten the relative peace existing in the state.
Addressing newsmen on behalf of the caucus, the leader of the Osun caucus in the House of Representatives, Bamidele Salam said the President should also ask the President to properly advise the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun state on the futility of trying to forcefully take over local government councils in the state.
He argued that the Court of Appeal judgment on the appeal by the APC against the judgment of the High Court on the sacking of elected local government Chairmen in the state which the party is holding onto APC did not make any consequential pronouncement.
He explained that aside from the Appeal Court decision nullifying the judgment of the lower court in the appeal against the PDP, the appellate court dismissed a similar suit filed by the APC in the judgment of the lower court’s decision in the suit by the Action Peoples Party because the APC abandoned the case.
He alleged that relying on the Appeal Court judgment, the elected former council chairmen whose election was nullified by the court has swapped on the various councils across the state to take over the affairs of the councils even when the APC has chosen to participate in the local government election scheduled for February 22, 2025.
He further alleged that PDP members and local government workers in some local government areas across the state have been shut down by political thugs aided by security agents, listing some of the affected local government to include Isokon, Boripe, Boluwaduro, Ayedaade, and Ilesa.
He said the recent development in the state was an invitation to anarchy as it has led to a broken down of law and order in the state, thereby causing chaos and mayhem which has threatened the relative peace being enjoyed in the state.
According to him, these desperate acts contradict common sense because there is a local government election scheduled for Saturday, 22d February 2025 to which the APC has purchased forms, conducted primaries, and actively engaged in campaigns in the last couple of months.
Salam said the elected local government officials were removed from office by the state government after the court ruled that the law under which the election was conducted violates the 2022 electoral act.
Members of the Osun caucus include Sen. Akogun Olalere Oyewumi (Deputy Senate Minority Leader), Sen. Francis Adenigba Fadahunsi, Sen. Olubiyi Fadeyi Ajagunnla, Bamidele Salam (Osun House of Reps Caucus Leader), Busayo Oluwole Oke, Taofeek Abimbola Ajilesoro, Clement Akanni Olohunwa, Soji Adetunji, Adebayo Morufu Adewale, Mudashiru Lukman, Lanre Oladebo and Sanya Omirin.
