Tension in Osun as Police Occupy Local Government Secretariats Over Tenure Dispute

 A heavy police presence was observed at multiple local government secretariats across Osun State on Tuesday as uncertainty loomed over the tenure of elected officials. Armed officers were stationed at the entrances of the Osogbo North and South, Egbedore, and Ejigbo Local Government offices, among others.

The heightened security follows Monday’s Court of Appeal ruling in Akure, which upheld an appeal filed by local government chairmen elected under the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the October 15, 2022 elections. The chairmen had been sacked in November 2022 by Justice Nathaniel Ayo-Emmanuel of the Osogbo Federal High Court, but their appeal was successful.

However, the ruling has sparked a legal and political standoff. While APC members argue that the verdict reinstates the dismissed chairmen, the Osun State Government contends that the judgment did not explicitly order their reinstatement.

Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment Kolapo Alimi warned against any unlawful actions, stressing that security agencies had been deployed to maintain order. Police spokesperson Yemisi Opalola confirmed the strategic deployment, stating, “We do not want any breakdown of law and order.”

Attorney General Oluwole Jimi-Bada clarified that the appeal court merely ruled that the PDP’s lawsuit against the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission was premature, rather than directly reinstating the dismissed officials. The police presence remains, with authorities closely monitoring the situation to prevent clashes.