The Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has called on the presidency to declare a state of emergency in the state, citing a complete breakdown of governance at the local government level.
In a statement signed by its Director of Media and Information, Kola Olabisi, the party accused Governor Ademola Adeleke’s administration of rendering local governments ineffective, alleging that governance in the state is being run by proxy, with the governor’s family exerting undue influence over decision-making.
The APC likened Adeleke’s leadership to that of Rivers State’s suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, stating, “There is no infraction that Fubara was accused of that Adeleke is not guilty of.” The party further alleged that Adeleke attempted to remove Osun’s Chief Judge through unconstitutional means in 2023, which led to the months-long closure of state-owned courts due to a strike by the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN).
Additionally, the party criticized Adeleke’s handling of traditional rulers, accusing him of politically motivated removals of monarchs appointed by his predecessor, former Governor Adegboyega Oyetola. It also condemned Adeleke’s alleged defiance of a February 10, 2025, Court of Appeal ruling reinstating APC-backed local government chairmen and councillors.
According to the statement, the governor not only ignored the court’s ruling but also allegedly incited violence against the reinstated officials, resulting in the death of Remi Abass, a local government chairman in Irewole Local Government. The party also pointed to electoral violence in the 2022 and 2023 elections as further evidence of the governor’s disregard for democracy.
The APC accused Adeleke of mass layoffs of workers employed by the previous administration, including teachers and healthcare professionals, while also condemning what it called wasteful spending on the recent local government elections conducted by the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSSIEC).
“For three years, he has deprived these people of their livelihoods without remorse,” the statement read. “The just concluded local government election was a wasteful exercise that ignored federal directives.”
The party further alleged that Adeleke has paralyzed local governance by preventing local government workers from performing their duties, leaving residents unable to access essential services such as identification letters for job seekers and students.
“He has turned his Ede residence into the new power centre, sidelining legally reinstated officials,” APC claimed.
Arguing that the governor’s actions amount to an attack on democracy, the party insisted that emergency rule is the only solution to restore governance in Osun State.
Meanwhile, the Osun State Government has strongly rejected the APC’s demand.
Following President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s recent imposition of emergency rule in Rivers State, APC National Secretary, Senator Basiru, urged Tinubu to consider a similar measure in Osun.
However, in a swift response, Osun State Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, condemned Basiru’s suggestion as “callous and unlawful.”
Alimi argued that the situations in Rivers and Osun were entirely different and accused the APC of attempting to destabilize the state for political gain. He further alleged that the APC, lacking electoral support, was resorting to undemocratic means to seize power.
Referring to recent incidents where APC members allegedly tried to enforce non-existent court rulings to reinstate their local government officials, Alimi stated that their actions nearly threw the state into chaos.
