Heavily armed security personnel were noticed at strategic points on major roads in Osogbo and major towns in Osun yesterday.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that there had been contention between the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over the Court of Appeal judgment in respect of the sacked APC council chairmen and councillors.
While the PDP claimed that the Feb. 10 judgment of the Court of Appeal, Akure, did not reinstate the sacked APC chairmen and councillors elected in 2022, APC insisted on their return to their offices.
However, the State Independent Electoral Commission (OSSIEC) announced the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidates winners of the 30 chairmanship and 332 councillorship seats in the local government elections held on Saturday.
The chairmen and the councillors were sworn in on Sunday by Gov. Ademola Adeleke.
Adeleke at the swearing-in ceremony held at Government House, Osogbo, advised the chairmen to stay from the council areas to avoid clash with the opposition party.
“An Osun State High Court has affirmed the vacancies in both the chairmanship and Councillorship positions in all the local government areas of Osun State before your elections on Feb. 22.
“We will, therefore, rely on the judiciary to ensure a peaceful removal of those illegally occupying the local government secretariats.
“Please be patient and always abide by the rule of law,” he said.
Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state directed its “reinstated chairmen” to resume in their respective local government areas yesterday.
Reinstated local government chairmen under the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State have issued a 72-hour resumption deadline to all the council workers across the 30 LGAs.
The Council chairmen who took over the councils prior to Saturday’s election resumed their offices yesterday, where they reportedly issued the ultimatum.
It was learnt that Jamiu Olawumi, a former Special Adviser on Education to ex-Governor Adegboyega Oyetola, said the party had issued directives for local government staff to return to work by Wednesday.
“All chairmen and councillors have resumed in all local governments and area councils in Osun State, including Irewole Local Government. The local governments and local council development areas are active and vibrant.
“Security is very tight, with responsible police officers, DSS, and Civil Defence personnel carrying out their duties as instructed by the Inspector General of Police.
“Most of the chairmen have issued press releases this morning instructing their workers to resume by Wednesday at the latest. After Wednesday, their employment status will be determined if they fail to return. The ultimatum stands at 72 hours,” he said.
The Osun State chapter of the National Labour Congress (NLC) had earlier directed all its workers across the councils to avoid the secretariats due to the ongoing legal tussle between the APC LG chairmen and the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led by Governor Ademola Adeleke.
The Osun governor signed an executive order affirming the Osun Federal High Court’s sacking of all the APC council leaders upon his assumption of office in 2022.
However, an Appeal Court ruling earlier this month reinstated the sacked LG Chairmen and Councillors, which was met with strong disapproval by the PDP.
This led to the violence reported in the state last Monday, with the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, and the Nigerian Police Force charging Adeleke and the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSSIEC) with suspending the scheduled election.
OSSIEC proceeded with the election, defying the warning, which saw the PDP win all available seats.
However, Adeleke had urged the newly elected chairmen and councillors, who were sworn in yesterday, to avoid the council secretariats until further notice.
