APC in Osun opposes sacking of traditional rulers by Adeleke

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun has opposed the white paper released by the state government which sacked two traditional rulers.

Addressing a news conference on Monday in Osogbo, the APC chairman in the state, Tajudeen Lawal, urged Adeleke to save the state from impending mayem by reverting to the status quo.

Lawal also called on President Tinubu and the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Kayode Egbetokun, to intervene in the brewing situation in the state.

Lawal said that on assumption of office on Nov. 22, Gov. Adeleke ordered the suspension of Aree of Iree, Akinrun of Ikirun, Owa of Igbajo and Alawo of Awo.

He said that following the suspension of the aforementioned traditional rulers, the stools became subjects of court litigations, in which the governor and the state government were defendants.

The chairman said that the governor later cleared the Alawo of Awo to function as Oba pending the determination of the law suit in respect of the stool.

He said that Adeleke, however, maliciously nullified the processes that produced the Aree of Iree and Owa of Igbajo and ordered for a fresh nomination exercise.

He said the governor also declared the Akinrun of Ikirun stool vacant pending the outcome of the court case.

“The decision of Gov Adeleke to single out some traditional rulers for punishment on mere presumption that they are political adversaries is petty, divisive and ungodly.

“No genuine leader engages in such a destructive tactics to govern his subjects.

“The reactions of the indigenes of the affected towns leave much to be desired and if not well managed could cause a monumental break-down of law and order.

“We use this medium to call on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Inspector-General of Police to intervene in the brewing situation in the state” he said.

Also, Lawal said that the closure of the courts in the state in the last three months due to indefinite strike by alleged ” partisan judiciary workers” was strange.

“The implication of this unholy closure of the courts is that the citizenry are now resorting to self-help since the courts are not sitting and available for them to ventilate their anger.

“The other negative effect of the non-sitting of the courts is that the police cells are now over-crowded since suspected criminals in their custody can not be arraigned in courts,” he said.

Lawal also alleged that members of the APC were also being harassed by the state government in order to silence them.

He said the governor had also secretly set up a taskforce to forcefully retrieve some vehicles duly approved for past government functionaries so as to provoke “our law-abiding citizens, injure them and precipitate violence in the state”.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the state government on Thursday nullified the selection of Mr Gboyega Famodun, a former APC Chairman, as the traditional ruler of Igbajo in Boluwaduro Local Government Area of the state.

The government also nullified the selection of Mr Raphael Ademola of Iree town in Boripe Local Government area of the state.

It also declared the Akirun stool in Ifelodun Local Government area vacant, pending the outcome of the case before the Court of Appeal.

A statement by Mr Kolapo Alimi, the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, said the decision was contained in the white paper report submitted by the committee set up by Gov. Ademola Adeleke, on Chieftaincy matters.

According to the statement, government has also directed the setting up of a task force for the recovery of government vehicles allegedly carted away by officials that served ex-Gov. Gboyega Oyetola.

However, Mr Olawale Rasheed, the spokesperson to Adeleke, said the governor complied with due process, rule of law and the tradition of the various affected towns in the recently released white paper.

“The white paper did not impose any oba like the previous government did.

“The state government has only ordered compliance with due process without barring any eligible candidate from seeking the royal stool.

“The credibility of the white paper is confirmed by the messages of commendations, appreciation and encomiums that have been reaching the governor since the release of the white paper.

“The affected towns are also at peace. Kindly ignore those anti-people elements who seek to retain the illegality of yesteryears,” he said.