The Osun State government and the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have strongly criticized the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its National Secretary, Senator Ajibola Basiru, over calls for President Bola Tinubu to extend emergency rule to Osun State.
Describing the demand as reckless and unconstitutional, Osun State Commissioner for Information and Civic Engagement, Kolapo Alimi, on Wednesday, accused the APC of attempting to subvert democracy. In a statement on Wednesday, Alimi labeled the move as “callous, self-centered, and unlawful,” warning that such calls threaten the peace and stability of the state.
Similarly, the PDP’s state spokesperson, Oladele Bamiji, condemned Basiru and the APC, asserting that their demand was a desperate attempt to seize power after being rejected by the electorate.
The controversy erupted following President Tinubu’s declaration of emergency rule in Rivers State on Tuesday. The decision led to the suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and all members of the state House of Assembly for six months. The President justified the move by citing the escalating crisis between the governor and lawmakers, exacerbated by militant attacks on oil installations and political instability.
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In response, Basiru took to social media platform X.com, urging Tinubu to extend the emergency rule to Osun. The APC in Osun, through its spokesperson, Kola Olabisi, echoed Basiru’s stance, arguing that Governor Ademola Adeleke’s administration had committed serious constitutional violations, including alleged attempts to remove the state’s Chief Judge, political violence during the 2022 elections, and defiance of court rulings.
“Adeleke has committed many constitutional breaches in this state to warrant the imposition of emergency rule. We urge President Tinubu to pay attention to what is happening in Osun and stop the abuse of office by our governor,” Olabisi stated.
Rejecting the APC’s claims, the Osun State government issued a blistering response, dismissing the comparison between the situations in Rivers and Osun. Alimi argued that unlike Rivers, Osun enjoys relative peace and stability despite political tensions.
“The overambitious and loud-mouthed National Secretary of the APC, Senator Ajibola Basiru, is merely making another desperate attempt to push for unconstitutional interventions. It is clear that the APC in Osun is determined to seize power through the backdoor,” Alimi said.
The commissioner further warned against destabilizing the state’s governance, accusing the opposition of spreading false narratives to justify their demand. “By the grace of God and with the support of the people of Osun, all these machinations against the Adeleke administration will fail,” he added.
Alimi called on President Tinubu to disregard what he termed the antics of “rejected and frustrated politicians” and uphold democratic principles by rejecting calls for emergency rule in Osun.
