Sunday, February 8, 2026 - Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State has dismissed recent calls for the declaration of a state of emergency in the state, describing them as a continuation of what he termed a failed plot by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to seize power through backdoor.
The governor was reacting to appeals by some civil society
groups for emergency rule following recent developments in the state.
Adeleke, however, described the groups as “faceless” and
alleged that the call was a desperate move orchestrated by former governor
Gboyega Oyetola and APC governorship candidate, Bola Oyebamiji.
In a statement issued on Saturday in Osogbo, Adeleke accused
the APC of being the primary source of unrest in Osun, alleging that the party
had paralysed local government administration, mismanaged council funds, and
illegally deployed security personnel in the state.
According to him, the former governor and his associates are
now “the most hated political actors in Osun” due to their actions at the local
government level.
“The APC seized local government funds, mismanaged the same,
and forcefully occupied the councils, all in a bid to provoke violence and
conflict. This is a deliberate strategy to create chaos and blame it on the
Adeleke-led administration,” the governor said.
Adeleke maintained that his administration has continued to
preserve peace in the state despite what he described as open confrontation and
persistent illegality by APC-aligned actors.
He said the call for emergency rule was borne out of
frustration after their alleged plans failed.
“Osun APC has failed in its evil bid to destabilise the
state, hence their resort to an open call for emergency declaration, for which
there is no basis or justification,” he stated.
The governor questioned attempts to blame his administration
for the crisis, insisting that the instability stemmed from what he described
as the illegal occupation of local government councils by APC-backed chairmen
whose tenures had expired.
He further accused the APC of hijacking local government
funds in violation of financial regulations, while noting that his government
had stepped in to pay local government workers who were allegedly abandoned.
Adeleke said his handling of the crisis has earned
commendations from various quarters, adding that Osun has moved beyond the era
of political violence.
“No individual or group will be allowed to further disturb
the peace of Osun State. Anybody found creating public mayhem will face the
full wrath of the law,” he warned.
The governor disclosed that he had directed the state
Commissioner of Police to monitor and prevent any attempt to plunge the state
into conflict, while also calling on the Inspector-General of Police to take
note of the situation.
He also appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene
by calling former governor Oyetola to order, warning that the actions of the
minister could tarnish the image of the Presidency.
“Those seeking power should face the electorate. Political power is
secured through the people; no backdoor access will work,” Adeleke added.
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