Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has raised concerns over what he described as a sinister plot by opposition elements to launch attacks on Local Government Secretariats across the state. According to him, the plan includes orchestrated assaults on leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and top government officials ahead of the forthcoming local government elections.
In a statement issued on Friday morning in Osogbo by his spokesperson, Mallam Olawale Rasheed, the governor alleged that the scheme was designed to create chaos and push for the declaration of a state of emergency in Osun. He warned that anyone caught attempting to disrupt public order would face the full wrath of the law.
“The evil agenda is to disrupt the forthcoming local government elections and create an atmosphere of chaos. Anybody apprehended over the plot will face the full wrath of the law,” the governor’s statement read.
Governor Adeleke described Osun as one of the most peaceful states in Nigeria and condemned what he called the opposition’s growing desperation, particularly among members of the All Progressives Congress (APC). He accused them of spreading fake court rulings, fabricating misinformation, and building false narratives instead of engaging with the electorate ahead of the February 22 elections.
The governor further referenced a subsisting court judgment secured by the Action Peoples Party (APP), which nullified the local government elections held in 2022 under the previous APC administration. He asserted that the ruling remains valid and binding.
“The judgment of the Court of Appeal in Akure was strictly about the filing of court processes by the PDP. It has nothing to do with the existing judgment that sacked the illegally elected APC council chairmen and councillors,” he clarified.
Governor Adeleke assured residents that security agencies had been directed to ensure stability across the state and to prevent any unlawful attempts to take over local government structures.
“I have issued stern directives to security agencies to secure the state and apprehend any troublemaker. There is no legal basis for any plot to take over the local government system in Osun State. Elections to fill the offices of chairmen and councillors are scheduled for February 22nd,” he stated.
He reiterated his commitment to maintaining law and order in Osun, warning that any individual or group attempting to disrupt public peace would face serious consequences.
“Anybody who tests our resolve to sustain law and order in Osun State will have himself to blame. As the Chief Security Officer of the state, I am determined to deploy all available resources to maintain peace and punish troublemakers,” he added.
The governor also called on citizens to go about their daily activities without fear, assuring them that his administration was fully prepared to counter any threats to peace.
“I also call on citizens and residents of the state to go about their normal activities without fear or intimidation. The government is on top of the situation. We are resolved to keep the state and the streets safe from anti-democratic elements,” he concluded.
Governor Adeleke’s warning comes just days before the scheduled local government elections, a period that has seen heightened political tension in the state. Security agencies are expected to intensify surveillance and enforcement efforts to prevent any disruptions to the electoral process.
