The crisis in Osun State has taken a new turn as the Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Adewale Egbedun, an Abuja-based lawyer and rights activist, Pelumi Olajengbesi, have urged President Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) to intervene and prevent the state from descending into chaos.
Egbedun, who spoke during a media briefing in Osogbo, warned that the impunity created by the crisis between the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the APC over control of local councils in the state could degenerate into chaos if not addressed. He tasked the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, not to bow to political influence in restoring peace in the state.
Olajengbesi also warned the federal government and the APC that any attempt to forcefully take over the government of Osun State would lead to unimaginable chaos and anarchy. He faulted the forceful takeover of councils in Osun by groups linked to the APC, describing it as a coup.
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives has waded into the crisis, resolving to constitute an ad-hoc committee to probe into the issue. The Osun State chapter of the PDP has also alleged a plot to assassinate Governor Ademola Adeleke, accusing the IGP of executing and imposing illegality on local councils in the state.
Adeleke has met with top British diplomats, accusing Egbetokun of colluding with the APC to enforce a non-existing court order. The British Deputy High Commissioner, Jonny Baxter, urged all political actors to prioritize peace and dialogue over conflict.
The crisis in Osun State has been escalating, with council chairmen and councilors elected under the APC in 2022 resuming duties in about 26 councils in the state. However, the former Special Adviser to former Governor Gboyega Oyetola on Education Matters, Jamiu Olawumi, disclosed that the chairmen and councilors had resumed in 14 local council secretariats.
The situation remains tense, with the PDP and APC locked in a bitter struggle for control of the state. The intervention of the House of Representatives and the international community may be necessary to prevent the crisis from degenerating into chaos.
