According to reports, Chairmen and Councilors elected in the October 15, 2022, local government election in Osun State had resumed in about 14 LGA secretariats in the state as of 10 a.m. on Wednesday.
It was gathered that the chairmen and councilors, accompanied by many APC members, have resumed at Ila, Ede South, Ife Central, Ife East, Ife North, Ilesa East, Ilesa West, Boripe, Oriade and Obokun local government secretariat.
Others where they resumed include Ejigbo, Iwo, Ayedire and Boripe local government secretariat.
Former Special Adviser to the governor on education, Jamiu Olawumi, said at about 10am, the chairmen and councillors resumed at 14 local government secretariat.
According to him, no incidence of violence has been recorded so far.
“We have 14 as of 10 am. They are Ila, Ede South, Ife Central, Ife East, Ife North, Ilesa East, Ilesa West, Boripe, Oriade and Obokun.
“Ejigbo, Iwo, Ayedire and Boripe. Security was top-notch. Members of the police tactical team, an armed squad of civil defence, and DSS are all present around the secretariat. We commend Governor Adeleke, but that is not enough.
“They should take away thugs they brought here. They have them in town. If you move around, you will see different faces that you have not seen here. They should not encourage those militants and cultists to kill the Osun people.
“It is dawn on them that the judgment is enforceable. The governor should make an attempt to see the President, Chief of Staff to the President or the IGP. He should do that much for us so that the vision of developing Osun within his current tenure will be achieved.
“Our chairmen and councillors are ready to work with him, though they are different tiers of government,” Olawumi added.
In a related development, the House of Representatives has called on the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, and the Director General, Department of State Services, Tosin Ajayi, to restore peace and order in Osun State following the crisis which engulfed the South-West State on Monday, which led to the death of about six persons.
Recall that on Monday, following the insistence of sacked local government chairmen and councilors to return to council offices, a move resisted by the Peoples Democratic Party supporters in a chaotic situation.
The All Progressives Congress members moved to enforce the judgment of the Court of Appeal, Akure Division, which overturned their sack by the Osogbo Federal High Court verdict on November 25, 2022.
PDP members, however, also mobilised to the council secretariats in large numbers and clashed with the APC members, a development that led to the loss of six lives and destruction of properties in many local government areas in the state.
In a motion of urgent public importance sponsored by all members of the state caucus in the House, read on the floor by the member representing Ede North/Ede South/Ejigbo/Egbedore Federal Constituency, Bamidele Salam, the House called on the Federal Government to guide against the escalation of the crisis.
According to Salam, violence broke out in several parts of the state on Monday “As a result of an attempt to take over the administration of local governments by officials who were sacked by court judgement in November 2022.”
He said, “The House is disturbed that the sacked officials are now breaking the gates of their respective local government secretariat to forcefully take over the government of the local government without any court order.
“The Governor of Osun State as the Chief Security officer of the state had raised an alarm on Sunday, February 16, about an imminent threat to peace and security in the state while calling on the Inspector General of Police and other heads of security formations to take proactive steps to forestall the violence.
“The House is concerned that if the current trend of resort to self-help by political actors is not nipped in the bud, it might encourage citizens to do the same in the face of perceived rights and privileges.”
He also warned that “The present situation in Osun State may snowball into a free-for-all all unless relevant authorities take urgent actions.”
The caucus expressed hope in the ability of the Nigerian Police to curtail the crisis.
With the huge support of the opposition, the House presided over by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, called on the IGP and DG, DSS and other security heads to ensure normalcy and restore order throughout the State.
The Speaker thereafter announced the constitution of an ad-hoc committee to investigate the crisis with former Deputy Speaker, Idris Wase, as the Chairman and Fred Agbedi as the Deputy Chairman.
