- Don’t Exploit Federal Might To Truncate Democracy, Makinde Warns APC
In a dramatic twist, Ademola Adeleke, governor of Osun State has warned the newly elected chairmen in the state to stay away from the local government secretariats.
This is to prevent them from clashing with the police and those whom the police had aided to occupy the local government secretariats forcefully
Adeleke gave the warning on Sunday, February 23, 2025, while swearing in the newly elected chairpersons and councillors in the state.
The Matrix reports that despite blood-shedding and boycott from the All-Progressives Congress (APC) Labour Party (LP) and the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) won all the 30 LGAs and 332 wards in the controversial election held on Saturday.
Speaking during the ceremony, Adeleke expressed happiness that the process was held despite the initial setbacks.
He congratulated the newly elected chairpersons and councillors and urged them to deliver on the dividends of democracy.
“Stay away from the local government secretariats to avoid any clash with those whom the police had aided to forcefully occupy the local government secretariats”.
READ ALSO: Osun LG Poll: Police Seal OSSIEC Headquarters, Arrest Officials On Duty
“We are all aware of the journey to where we are. The state is today rounding up a process that started a year or so ago. The state electoral body had issued due notice of election a year ago. I know the commission had complied with all extant rules and procedures, which led to the emergence of new local government chairmen and councillors,” Adeleke said.
“We are equally aware of the legal controversies that dogged the holding of the election. It is, however, a thing of joy that the facts are out in the public domain, and we are satisfied that we are on the side of the law within the context of the rule of law and the constitution.
“I congratulate all newly elected council chairmen and councillors. You have the mandate to deliver on good governance in your respective local governments. I charge you to develop plans of action within the manifesto of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
“As our government is transforming the state for the better, I call on you to be agents of change, community developers, and deliverers of dividends of democracy.
“An Osun State High Court had affirmed the vacancies in both the Chairman and Councilors positions in all of Osun State Local Governments before your election on the 22nd February 2025. We will, therefore, rely on the judiciary to ensure a peaceful removal of those illegally occupying the local government secretariats.”
Adeleke further thanked the people of Osun for their support and for demonstrating courage during the polls.
“We will not fail you. People’s welfare will continue to be our watchword,” he said.
READ ALSO: Former Governor Oyinlola, Speaker Cast Votes As Osun LG Election Gains Momentum
He also expressed his appreciation to the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission for “discharging its mandate professionally and with all sense of responsibilities”, and the security agencies for maintaining law and order during the process.
He also thanked President Bola Tinubu “for rejecting efforts by some forces to plunge Osun into chaos”.
The event was attended by Seyi Makinde, governor of Oyo state, and Bala Muhammed, governor of Bauchi state and chairman of the PDP governor’s forum.
Speaking at the event, Governor Makinde warned the APC not to truncate democracy by resorting to self-help on local government administration in Osun State.
Makinde asked the APC not to exploit federal might to truncate democratic processes.
“Recently, we were in Lagos for the South-West Governors’ Forum meeting. We had PDP and APC governors from the South-West in attendance. We came together in the interest of our zone to tackle those problems that are common to us and our expectation is that we would have the support all the way to the top because the essence of governance is to deliver the goods to the people in our various states and zones.
“So, when events started unfolding here in Osun State to the extent that lives were lost, we felt that we should come around and sound a note of warning. We are all students of history and we know what the South-West Region went through that made people tag it ‘Wild Wild West’ back then and we do not want that again.
“We just want to peacefully deliver the dividends of democracy to our people. So, nobody should resort to self-help. Even if you have a court judgment, there is a process; let the process go through. You cannot say that because you have the so-called federal might, you want to truncate the process. This is a federal arrangement.”
He congratulated the newly-elected chairmen, charging them to deliver dividends of democracy to their people and justify the confidence reposed in them.
“Let me congratulate the newly-minted chairmen and chairpersons of all the 30 Local Government Areas of Osun State,” the Oyo governor said.
“Don’t forget the promises you made to the people during your campaign. This is an opportunity for you to deliver to the people at the grassroots level. My prayer is that with the support of your governor and the state government, you will deliver.
“For some of you, this will be your stepping stone to higher positions, because the reward for hard work is more work.”
“The chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum and I decided to come here to witness this momentous occasion and to show solidarity with the government and the people of Osun State,” Makinde told the gathering.
