Following a Court of Appeal ruling that upheld appeals by APC-elected local government chairmen, Osun State has seen a surge in tension. Police were deployed to local government secretariats across the state to prevent any potential unrest and maintain law and order. While some view the ruling as reinstating the sacked officials, the state government insists it does not.
Heavily armed police officers have taken control of local government secretariats across Osun State amid a dispute over who leads the grassroots in the state. This development follows a Court of Appeal ruling in Akure that upheld appeals by the chairmen elected under the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the October 15, 2022, local government elections . The chairmen and councillors had been removed by Justice Nathaniel Ayo-Emmanuel of the Federal High Court in Osogbo in November 2022.
However, the Appeal Court ruled in their favor, sparking disagreements over the interpretation of the judgment. APC members assert that the ruling reinstated the sacked officials. But the state government, through the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, maintains that the judgment did not restore them. Alimi urged security agencies to prevent any threats to public peace and safeguard residents' lives and property. Armed police officers were deployed to local government secretariats in Osogbo, Egbedore, and Ejigbo, with officers checking those entering and exiting. At the Osogbo Secretariat, officials from the National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) aided in identifying staff members.At the Ejigbo Local Government (LG) secretariat, sources reported that police arrived around 8:30 am, initially locking the gate before reopening it. An anonymous NULGE official stated, 'Police operatives suddenly showed up at the entrance. Our colleagues contacted NULGE officials when they weren't allowed in. Eventually, workers were permitted inside. We were told police were deployed because some people threatened to resume work.' Osun Police Command spokesman, Yemisi Opalola, confirmed the deployment. He said, 'We acted to prevent any breakdown of law and order. This is related to the Appeal Court verdict on the last local government election. Though we haven't received any court ruling, we are monitoring the situation.
Osun State Local Government Elections Court Of Appeal Police Deployment Political Crisis
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