- As Governor Adeleke Discusses Maintaining Peace Amid Provocation
Tensions are escalating between council chairmen elected under the All Progressives Congress (APC) during the October 15, 2022, council elections and the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) over threats to dismiss council workers who refuse to return to their duties.
The chairmen returned to their council secretariats yesterday under heightened security measures. Visits to the Ifelodun Local Council in Ikirun, Olorunda Local Council in Igbona, and Osogbo Local Council in Oke-Baale revealed that chairmen from the major opposition party had resumed their official duties.
A significant law enforcement presence was noted across the state, with armed police and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) officers setting up roadblocks at the entrances to various secretariats. Checkpoints were established along key routes, including Osogbo/Kwara Boundary Road, Osogbo/Ilesa Road, and Osogbo/Ibokun Road.
In light of the ongoing absence of workers at the council headquarters, the APC has indicated that it will decide the fate of the staff if they do not return by tomorrow. Jamiu Olawumi, a former Special Adviser on Education under ex-Governor Adegboyega Oyetola, stated that council chairmen and councillors have instructed council staff to report for duty by tomorrow (Wednesday).
Contrarily, the NLC, through its Chairman Abimbola Arapasopo, reiterated its commitment to the workers’ safety and has urged council employees to withdraw their services in response to the political unrest affecting their workplaces. The union’s statement emphasized that the directive for workers to stay off remains in effect.
“We prioritize our members’ safety in the workplace, and we will not permit them to operate in an insecure environment,” Arapasopo declared. “The Osun State Council of the NLC is steadfast in defending workers’ rights and interests. We will not be intimidated by attempts to silence us. We stand firm in our commitment to justice, fairness, and the rule of law in our state.”
Meanwhile, Governor Ademola Adeleke addressed the situation, asserting that he has managed to maintain peace and foster public prosperity despite provocations from the opposition APC regarding control over local councils. He credited his approach to security and peacekeeping for the ongoing stability in the state, “despite the malicious schemes of anarchists within the opposition.”
In a statement from his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, Adeleke condemned allegations made by opposition figures accusing his administration of harboring thugs, labeling them as “libelous and defamatory.” He described those allegations as “a groundless fabrication devoid of any truth.”
