Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke has urged residents to exercise their voting rights peacefully and called on politicians to abide by the rule of law amidst the ongoing political crisis in the state. The Governor’s appeal was contained in a statement issued by his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, on Thursday evening.
Governor Adeleke disclosed that peace has been restored to the state following the illegal takeover of council secretariats by “court-sacked APC chairmen and councilors.” He credited the state’s residents for complying with his directive to stay away from the council secretariats, which he said helped prevent further crisis and potential confrontations.
The statement read, “I urge all registered voters to vote in the local government election of Saturday, 22nd February 2025, and to conduct themselves peacefully at all times. I particularly appreciate and commend our people for complying with my directives to avoid local government secretariats. The compliance saved our state from further confrontations and casualties. It has returned the state of the living spring to its peaceful and loving nature.”
The Governor also criticized the All Progressives Congress for resorting to self-help in an attempt to enforce a court judgment that, according to him, did not order the reinstatement of its members as chairmen and councilors. He emphasized the importance of following legal procedures rather than taking matters into one’s own hands.
“Those who claim to have a court judgment that ordered their reinstatement should approach the court to enforce the said order of court instead of resorting to self-help, which is illegal. The Nigerian judiciary has its enforcement procedure, which everyone must follow. If you have a genuine court order, follow the court enforcement protocols,” the statement continued.
Governor Adeleke further clarified that his administration had thoroughly reviewed the judgment in question and sought interpretations from legal experts. He asserted that the judgment did not include any reinstatement order or consequential directives.
“As a government, we have read through the said judgment. We have submitted it for interpretation to the best of legal minds. There is nowhere a reinstatement order was issued. No matter the manner of misinterpretation, that judgment contains no consequential order nor any reinstatement directive,” he stated.
The Governor warned that if the “court-sacked APC chairmen and councilors” continue to pursue illegal self-help, the state government would rely on the judiciary to resolve the matter. He reaffirmed his commitment to upholding the rule of law and the Constitution.
“If the occupying court-sacked APC chairmen and councilors chose to continue on the path of illegal self-help, I assure our people that the best route to resolution is the rule of law through the judiciary. I am committed to upholding the rule of law alongside the passionate observance of the Constitution. We will allow the court to determine the correctness or otherwise of their claim,” he said.
Governor Adeleke also expressed confidence in President Bola Tinubu’s democratic principles, stating, “We have confidence in the democratic credentials of President Tinubu, who we know will always insist on the rule of law.”