Ahead of the 2025 local government elections this Saturday, the ongoing APC-PDP dispute in Osun has finally culminated into violence on Monday, leaving more than six people dead. The local government crisis, which began with the nullification of elections in 2022 had taken a turn for the worse, when the Court of Appeal in Akure passed a controversial judgment on the case in January. According to stakeholders from both parties, the court ruled in favour of their camp, resulting in a contentious understanding of the judgement.
Earlier on Sunday, the governor of Osun State, Ademola Adeleke had alerted Tinubu, and the general public about an imminent political crisis allegedly sponsored by Minister Gboyega Oyetola. Oyetola, who is the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy and immediate past governor of Osun had refuted the claims made in Adeleke’s press conference.
A statement released by the minister’s media office stated that “if he is given to violence, he would have certainly fought back violently in 2022 when he was brazenly rigged out”. According to them, Adeleke had “employed extrajudicial means to sack democratically elected council officials” and Oyetola had led the party to court instead and “his party won at the Appeal last week”.
Acting upon their understanding as winners of the court’s ruling, Osun APC attempted to reinstate the sacked council officers against the wishes of the Adeleke-led administration. On Monday 17th, several APC members and council officers attempted to resume work across several locations within the state. However, the decision was met with a massive bloodbath. across different local government areas, including Irewole, Isoka, Boripe, and Olaoluwa, among others.
The crisis had reportedly erupted as a result of an attempt by PDP thugs to prevent the sacked chairmen from gaining entry. Therefore, APC loyalists took the cue to begin a power struggle against the other party. This inevitably resulted in chaos and unprecedented casualties.
Irewole Local Government Area in Ikire had one of the most pronounced casualties, as the deaths of former APC council chairman, Hon. Remi Abass was recorded, while several others were brutally injured. According to eyewitnesses, the late chairman had attempted to enter the local government secretariat in Ikire. However, it was reported that the situation led to a confrontation by some PDP members. In the confrontation, “many people were wounded with machetes and bullets, and one person was gunned down immediately”.
Unfortunately, the sad incident was not limited to Irewole, as reports from Isoka, Boripe and Olaoluwa, among others, also stated similar occurrences. In Iragbiji, which is the headquarters of Boripe LGA, two persons were killed, alongside two others in Isokan and Olaoluwa respectively.
Despite the alleged involvement of both parties in the crisis, the report made by Olawumi of the Ileri-Oluwa campaign in Osogbo associated the situation with the governor. In his statement, Olawumi mentioned that “in line with the threat of Governor Ademola Adeleke, PDP thugs invaded the council secretariats and started shooting our people”.
These avoidable killings have prompted reactions from various sources since the incidents happened yesterday. In a viral video on X, Davido, who is Adeleke’s nephew called out the Osun State Commissioner of Police, vehemently addressing him as an enabler in the crisis. However, the popular Nigerian singer made a U-turn later, highlighting the Commissioner’s “genuine efforts” in restoring normalcy within the state.
