Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has raised a serious alarm over an alleged plot by the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola, to use security operatives to forcefully reinstate sacked local government chairmen, a move he warns could plunge the state into chaos.
Speaking at a World Press Conference on Sunday, Adeleke accused Oyetola—his predecessor and political rival—of leveraging his ties as President Bola Tinubu’s nephew to orchestrate a dangerous and unconstitutional takeover of local government councils. He alleged that the minister was colluding with the Osun State Commissioner of Police, the Director of the Department of State Services (DSS), and the Commandant of the Civil Defence Corps to enforce an illegal directive that could spark unrest in the state.
Governor Adeleke decried what he described as an “evil plot” spearheaded by Oyetola, insisting that President Tinubu, whom he referred to as a “true democrat,” would not endorse such actions that could lead to bloodshed.
“The evil plot is being spearheaded by Mr. Gboyega Oyetola in active collaboration with security agencies. He is issuing illegal directives simply because he is the President’s nephew,” Adeleke stated.
According to him, the sacked local government chairmen were removed by two Federal High Court judgments before he assumed office, a fact he emphasized to counter accusations that his administration orchestrated their removal.
While the All Progressives Congress (APC) won a partial appeal on one of the judgments, Adeleke clarified that the ruling did not order the reinstatement of the sacked officials. Meanwhile, the APC’s appeal against another ruling that upheld their removal was unsuccessful, meaning their dismissal remains legally binding.
Governor Adeleke warned that Oyetola was allegedly plotting to use security agencies to forcefully take over local governments on Monday, a move he described as illegal, unconstitutional, and anti-democratic.
“For a serving minister like Mr. Gboyega Oyetola to lead the charge in violating the constitution and fomenting violence over a judicial process is not only shameful—it is treason taken too far,” Adeleke declared.
He further alleged that Oyetola and the Osun State Commissioner of Police had been holding a series of meetings to strategize the execution of the “illegal operation”.
“We have it on good authority that Mr. Gboyega Oyetola has instructed the Osun State Commissioner of Police, the state Director of the DSS, and the state Commandant of the Civil Defence Corps to mobilize security operatives to enforce a non-existent judgment by forcefully taking over the local government councils on Monday,” he revealed.
Governor Adeleke called on President Tinubu, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), and legal experts to carefully examine the court rulings and intervene before Osun descends into political anarchy.
“In a democratic society governed by the rule of law, we all must submit to the law. If we are dissatisfied with a court ruling, we must seek redress through legal means—not political manipulation,” he cautioned.
He urged President Tinubu to instruct the Inspector General of Police, the Director General of the DSS, and the Commandant General of the Civil Defence Corps to ignore any illegal directive from Oyetola. He also called on the National Security Adviser and the Attorney General of the Federation to personally verify that the Court of Appeal judgment did not reinstate the sacked chairmen.
“I want to place on notice the Nigerian public, our friends in the diplomatic community, and lovers of democracy and the rule of law that our people will not accept any attempt to impose illegality and anarchy on us,” Adeleke warned.
He further stressed that if any violence erupts in Osun, Oyetola and the Osun State security chiefs should be held accountable.
The political tension between Adeleke and Oyetola has been escalating since the former defeated the latter in the 2022 Osun gubernatorial election. This latest development suggests that Osun may be on the verge of another major political confrontation.
While Governor Adeleke has vowed to vehemently reject any illegal reinstatement of the sacked local government chairmen, it remains to be seen whether the Federal Government and security agencies will intervene to prevent the state from spiraling into crisis.
“For now, all eyes are on Monday,” Adeleke concluded, hinting at the potential for a dramatic showdown in Osun’s political landscape.
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