By Kolawole Ojebisi
The crisis rocking Osun State took a twist on Wednesday as the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) assumed control of at least 14 local government secretariats of the state.
This development took place amid palpable tension which has continued to engulf the south-west state.
There are 30 LGAs in the state.
Some of the LG secretariats where APC chairpersons and councillors returned to work on Wednesday are Ila, Ede South, Ede North,(in the hometown of the incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke), Ife Central, Ife East, Ife North, Ilesa East, Ilesa West, Boripe, Oriade, and Obokun.
The New Diplomat had reported how violence broke out on Monday, at some LG secretariats in Osun after a clash between supporters of the APC and those of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Some persons were killed during the clash, including Remi Abbas, a former chairman of Irewole LGA in Ikire
The crisis in the state stems from a judgment of the court of appeal on sacked council chairpersons and councillors.
The PDP claimed that the February 10 judgment of the court of appeal in Akure, Ondo state, did not reinstate the sacked chairpersons and councillors who were elected in 2022, while the APC insists that they were reinstated.
Ademola Adeleke, governor of the state, had asked residents to stay away from local government secretariats and allow security agencies to protect the facilities.
Adeleke had also blamed Gboyega Oyetola, his predecessor, for the mayhem and chaos, while asking President Bola Tinubu to “call his nephew to order”.
“The bone of contention is the brazen effrontery to return to office council chairmen sacked by a subsisting court judgment using a different court decision, which has no consequential order,” Adeleke said.
The governor also urged the president to direct Nuhu Ribadu, national security adviser (NSA), and Lateef Fagbemi, Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), to resolve the crisis.
