Tensions are at a boiling point in Osun State as former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of orchestrating violence in a desperate bid to hold on to power.
The chaos erupted on Monday when a violent clash between supporters of the APC and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led to the reported deaths of at least five people. The violence stemmed from an ongoing power struggle over the attempted reinstatement of sacked APC local government chairpersons, who claim to have been restored to office by a court ruling.
Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke and the state’s PDP caucus in the National Assembly have pointed fingers at Gboyega Oyetola, the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, accusing him and the APC of backing the controversial reinstatement that sparked the deadly confrontation.
Reacting to the crisis, Atiku issued a scathing rebuke of the APC, accusing the party of turning Osun into a battleground for political power. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the former PDP presidential candidate warned against what he described as the APC’s increasing reliance on brute force.
“In Osun state, the APC orchestrated a full-scale assault on the democratic process, attempting to hijack the local government elections through brute force,” Atiku wrote.
“Armed thugs and mercenaries, operating under the party’s protection, launched an audacious bid to seize control of all 30 local government area council secretariats. And yet, the so-called national leadership of the APC and the presidency watched in complicit silence.”
Atiku praised Osun residents for resisting what he called an “attack on democracy,” insisting that without their courage, the state’s electoral process would have been overrun by “political marauders.”
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With Osun set to hold local government elections on February 22, Atiku called on security agencies to uphold their constitutional duty and resist being used as “enforcers of APC’s criminal agenda.”
“We demand that security agencies deployed for Saturday’s elections act with professionalism and neutrality. The world is watching,” he warned.
Atiku did not mince words about the implications of the unrest, stating that Nigeria is witnessing a dangerous shift where the APC has “abandoned any pretense of democratic legitimacy, resorting instead to brute force in its bid to cling to power.”
His statement comes amid growing concerns about election-related violence and the increasing militarization of Nigeria’s political landscape.
Monday’s violence has reignited fears about the fragility of Nigeria’s democratic process, particularly at the grassroots level. While the APC has yet to respond to Atiku’s allegations, the accusations of political interference, violence, and intimidation have further deepened tensions ahead of the upcoming local government polls.
