A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State, Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, has called on President Bola Tinubu to intervene and stop Governor Ademola Adeleke from proceeding with the local government elections scheduled for Saturday, February 22, 2025.
Oyintiloye, a former lawmaker, made this appeal while speaking to journalists on Thursday in Osogbo, citing security concerns and legal irregularities as reasons why the election should not hold.
According to the APC chieftain, the Court of Appeal judgment in Akure had already reinstated previously elected local government officials, meaning there is no leadership vacuum at the local council level. He argued that going ahead with the election would be a violation of the ruling and could lead to unnecessary chaos.
“Presently, there is no vacuum in all the 30 council areas in the state due to the Court of Appeal judgment that reinstated the APC chairmen and councillors. Conducting another election will be an aberration.”
Oyintiloye warned of possible violence if the election proceeds, pointing to recent clashes in different council areas that claimed six lives and left several others injured. He called on the Osun State Government to reconsider its stance and approach the Supreme Court if it is dissatisfied with the Appeal Court ruling, rather than forcing an election that could destabilize the state.
The APC chieftain urged President Tinubu to step in and convince Governor Adeleke to suspend the election in the interest of peace and stability. He emphasized that the security of lives and property should be prioritized over political interests.
“I want to appeal to the President to prevail on Governor Adeleke not to go ahead with the election for security reasons.
All we want in the state is peace, and anything that can jeopardize the peaceful atmosphere should be avoided.”
Oyintiloye also commended security agencies for their swift action in restoring order in the state after the recent outbreak of violence.
He assured that the APC in Osun State would continue to uphold peace and support every constitutional means to protect lives and property. While expressing condolences to the families of those who lost their lives, he urged residents to remain law-abiding and avoid any acts that could escalate tensions.
“Governor Adeleke must protect the tenets of democracy and respect the rule of law that brought him to power. The state government must not endanger lives in the name of politics.”
The situation in Osun remains tense as the scheduled local government election faces opposition from the APC, with stakeholders awaiting the next course of action from Governor Adeleke and the state electoral commission (OSSIEC).