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Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State, has called on President Bola Tinubu to intervene and prevent potential unrest following a recent Court of Appeal ruling concerning the October 22, 2022 local government elections in the state.
Speaking with journalists on Sunday in Osogbo, Oyintiloye, a former member of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, said the judgment delivered by the Court of Appeal, Akure Division, on Friday has sparked tension across Osun’s 30 local government areas.
According to him, while the appellate court struck out the APC’s request to relist its appeal against a previous Federal High Court ruling that nullified the local government elections, it did not invalidate the judgment delivered on February 10, which reinstated APC-elected chairmen and councillors.
Oyintiloye in a statement warned that the alleged misinterpretation of the ruling by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the state government is fueling tensions and could lead to violent confrontations.
He raised alarm over reports that the PDP and the state government are planning to take over control of local government secretariats on Monday, a move he said could lead to clashes, as the elected APC officials still occupy the offices and are likely to resist any “unlawful invasion.”
“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.
“Both the state government and the PDP must be cautioned against causing crisis in the state due to wrong interpretation of the court ruling.
“The verdict of the court on attempt by the APC to relist the case is very clear but some people are just hell-bent to cause chaos through misinterpretation of the court ruling,”
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Recalling the violence of February 17, which led to the loss of lives during a similar political standoff, Oyintiloye emphasized the need for caution to avoid a repeat.
“We don’t want any bloodshed in Osun again. That is why I am appealing to President Tinubu to take swift action to ensure peace is maintained and lives are protected,” he said.
He further urged the state government to await the outcome of its ongoing case at the Supreme Court regarding access to local government allocations, rather than act unilaterally.
“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 to take final decision on it,” he said.
He also stressed the importance of responsible leadership and legal interpretation to prevent political instability and protect the peace and safety of Osun residents.
