Tinubu addressing an audience
President Bola Tinubu
Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun, has appealed to President Bola Tinubu to intervene in the brewing crisis in the state over the Court of Appeal ruling on the conduct of the council election.
“We appeal to Mr President to intervene and protect the lives and property of residents in Osun,” he said.
Mr Oyintiloye, in a chat with journalists on Sunday in Osogbo, said the judgment of the Court of Appeal, Akure Division, on Friday had started generating tension in Osun.
The APC chieftain said although the court struck out a request by APC to relist its appeal against the 2022 Federal High Court ruling nullifying the local government elections, the court did not nullify the judgment of February 10, which reinstated the chairs and councillors.
Mr Oyintiloye, a former lawmaker, said the misinterpretation given to the ruling by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the state government may result in a crisis in all the 30 local government areas, if not quickly checked.
He said the interpretation given to the judgment by the ruling PDP government that it is now in control of the local government areas and the planned invasion of the council secretariats on Monday may degenerate into a crisis.
The APC chieftain said, “The crisis is obvious because the elected APC chairmen and councillors would resist any unlawful invasion of the council secretariats, which they are currently occupying.”
Mr Oyintiloye said the only way the crisis could be averted is for Mr Tinubu to intervene by ordering the deployment of more security agencies to the state.
He said the loss of lives during a similar crisis on February 17 was still fresh in the minds of the residents, adding that such a recurrence should be prevented.
“The open declaration by PDP members to invade the council secretariats in the state on Monday can lead to mayhem, and that is not what we need at the moment.
“The state government and the PDP must be cautioned against causing a crisis in the state due to the wrong interpretation of the court ruling.
The Osun government is already before the Supreme Court to challenge its inability to access local government allocation.
“It is therefore expected of the government to wait for the apex court to take a final decision on it,” Mr Oyintiloye said.
The Akure Division of the Court of Appeal on Friday dismissed an application by the APC seeking to relist an earlier appeal that was struck out on January 13 for lack of diligent prosecution.
While the state government said the Court of Appeal ruling affirmed the Federal High Court judgment that sacked the council chairs and councillors elected in 2022, the APC maintained that the ruling did not nullify the election.
The case originated from a suit filed by the All Peoples Party(APP) against the State Independent Electoral Commission(OSSIEC) at the Federal High Court, challenging the legality of the October 15, 2022, LG election, which featured only APC candidates.
The APC, which later joined the matter at the Federal High Court, had appealed the judgment after the lower court nullified the election.
However, the appeal was struck out on January 13 due to a lack of diligent prosecution by the APC.
APC’s attempt to have the case relisted was also dismissed by the Court of Appeal on Friday.
