The Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has raised alarm over what it calls a looming crisis, accusing the state government of planning to install officials elected in the February 21 local government elections into council secretariats across the state.
The APC claimed the move could lead to significant instability.
Speaking on behalf of the APC leadership in Osogbo, former Osun Information Commissioner, Mr. Sunday Akere, stated that Governor Ademola Adeleke’s administration is allegedly planning to execute this takeover through a court order.
Akere, who was accompanied by other APC leaders, including former Osun House of Assembly member Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, former Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Adebayo Adeleke, and ex-Special Adviser to the Governor Jamiu Olawumi, revealed that the state government is seeking a ruling from an Osun State High Court sitting in Ikirun on April 17, 2025, to carry out this action.
Akere further claimed that the government intends to use a mandamus order to replace APC chairmen and councillors, who were reinstated by the court, with those elected under the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
He warned that this move, potentially backed by the Amotekun Corps and alleged thugs, could provoke widespread chaos.
Governor Adeleke’s spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, swiftly responded to these allegations, labeling them as blackmail.
Rasheed argued that the APC is simply trying to deflect attention from its illegal occupation of local government secretariats.
He mentioned that the APC is facing several lawsuits related to its actions, including cases filed by the PDP-elected chairmen and councillors from the February 21 election, the National Union of Local Government Employees, and the All Peoples Party, which has filed a contempt of court suit for ignoring a ruling that dismissed APC-elected chairmen from the October 15, 2022, local government elections.
Rasheed emphasized that Governor Adeleke had no plans to initiate any legal action but had instructed PDP-elected officials to adhere to the law and avoid any form of violence.
Despite this, Akere maintained his stance, warning that the alleged PDP takeover of the council secretariats could ignite fresh unrest.
He referred to the alleged court action as a “judicial coup,” claiming that the government’s plans to deploy illegally installed chairmen and councillors, along with absent workers, to the secretariats could lead to mayhem in the state.
The APC also filed a petition with the National Judicial Council, accusing the Adeleke-led administration of fostering judicial misconduct.
In response, Rasheed dismissed the APC’s threats as baseless, asserting that the party is attempting to avoid the legal ramifications of their unlawful occupation of the local councils.
He urged the APC to focus on addressing its legal challenges rather than dragging the governor into their ongoing issues.