Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke has called on President Bola Tinubu to caution the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola, over an alleged attempt to create chaos and unrest in the state.
In a press briefing on Sunday, Adeleke accused his predecessor, Oyetola, of instructing the police and the Department of State Services (DSS) to execute a “non-existent” court judgment by forcefully taking control of local governments in Osun on Monday.
Adeleke stated, “The issue at hand is the blatant attempt to reinstate council chairmen who were dismissed by a valid court judgment, using a different court decision that lacks any consequential order.”
He emphasized that the chairmen and councillors were sacked before he assumed office as governor, countering claims that the dismissals were carried out by his Executive Order. “For clarity, I had no involvement in the removal of these local government officials. The sacking of the chairmen and councillors was carried out by two separate rulings from the Federal High Court in Osogbo,” he explained.
The governor called on the President to uphold the rule of law, urging Tinubu to direct the police and DSS not to obey what he described as an illegal order from Oyetola. He also called for the Osun State security chiefs to be held accountable for their actions.
Adeleke further urged President Tinubu to instruct the National Security Adviser and the Attorney General of the Federation to verify that the Court of Appeal judgment did not reinstate the dismissed local government officials, and to confirm that a valid court ruling remains in place.
APC Responds
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun, Oyetola’s political party, dismissed Adeleke’s accusations, labeling them as an attempt to evade legal processes. The party advised Adeleke to challenge the Court of Appeal’s judgment in the Supreme Court if he disagreed with its outcome.
Kola Olabisi, APC spokesperson in Osun, denied claims that Oyetola had issued any illegal instructions to security agencies.
He accused Adeleke of resorting to blackmail rather than pursuing legal recourse. “Oyetola has not directed anyone, including security chiefs, on how to perform their duties. Adeleke should understand that blackmail and sentiment will not alter the court’s decision,” Olabisi stated.
He further argued that the APC-led local government officials were unjustly removed in 2022 and that the courts had now lawfully reinstated them. “The court has spoken, and those affected by Adeleke’s actions have been left without justice for too long. Now that justice has been served, Oyetola, as leader of the Osun APC, is committed to ensuring the court’s ruling is fully implemented,” he said.
Olabisi concluded by reiterating the APC’s commitment to upholding the law and ensuring the court’s verdict is respected. “The court’s ruling must be obeyed. Adeleke should stop his attempts at blackmail, as it will not work. As for us in the APC, we will remain law-abiding, but we will not allow our rights to be trampled,” he added.
