Tensions continue to rise in Osun State as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has issued a stern warning to sacked local government chairpersons against attempting to forcefully resume office, accusing them of fueling political unrest.
In a statement released on Monday, PDP spokesperson Debo Ologunagba condemned what he described as a “deliberate attempt to instigate violence” by the former LG officials, who were removed from office by a court order but are now attempting to reclaim their positions.
The power struggle took a deadly turn earlier in the day when a violent clash between supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the PDP resulted in the reported deaths of five people. The conflict erupted as sacked APC local government chairpersons, claiming court reinstatement, attempted to resume office—a move that met strong resistance from PDP loyalists.
The crisis has further deepened political divisions in the state, with Governor Ademola Adeleke and the Osun State caucus in the National Assembly accusing Gboyega Oyetola, the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, and the APC leadership of orchestrating the unrest.
However, the PDP insists that the former chairpersons must abandon their efforts to forcefully regain office. Ologunagba, in a strongly worded statement, cautioned:
“They must perish the thought of forcing themselves back into office. Such an action would be a futile venture with dire consequences.”
He accused the APC of “desperate tactics” in an attempt to reclaim lost political ground, stating that the party has “irredeemably lost” in Osun and should stop resorting to “self-help, misrepresentation, and violence.”
The PDP maintains that the fate of the sacked local government officials was sealed by a Court of Appeal ruling that voided their appointment. According to Ologunagba, their removal was a direct consequence of the “unconstitutional maneuvering” by former Governor Gboyega Oyetola, who allegedly installed APC members as local government officials under the guise of an election.
“Having been roundly rejected by the people of Osun State in the July 16, 2022 governorship election, Oyetola and the APC should have known that their attempt to sidestep the law and impose party loyalists as local government chairmen and councillors was bound to fail.”
The PDP further accused the APC of “playing to the gallery” by attempting to involve President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in a matter that, according to the party, remains a state-level issue.
“The APC should stop dragging the exalted office of the president into its political misfortunes. Our nation operates a federal system, and local government elections fall under the jurisdiction of state authorities—not the federal government.”
Ologunagba urged the APC to prepare for fresh local government elections as scheduled by the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSSIEC) rather than clinging to an “imaginary strand of hope” through acts of violence.
“If the APC truly believes it is still popular in Osun State, it should prove it at the polls rather than resort to bloodshed and lawlessness.”
As political tensions threaten to spiral further, the PDP has called on security agencies to take decisive action, ensuring that those responsible for the violence and loss of lives face justice.
