Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has accused Governor Ademola Adeleke of using state power to suppress opposition.

The allegation came amid the recent Court of Appeal ruling that reinstated local government chairmen sacked by the Adeleke administration.

In a statement signed by its Director of Media and Information, Kola Olabisi, on Thursday, the APC warned Adeleke against taking actions that could trigger political unrest in the state.

The party insisted that the ruling was binding and should be respected by all parties, including the state government.

Olabisi said, “The earlier Governor Adeleke realises that Osun State is governed by the law and not as an extension of his family estate in Ede, the better for him.”

The APC criticised Adeleke’s reaction to the court’s decision, stating that his approach reflected a lack of understanding of democratic governance.

The party further argued that there was no legal basis for conducting fresh local government elections, as the reinstated chairmen legally occupied their offices.

“It defies logic that any government would attempt to conduct elections, when in the eyes of the law, there is no vacancy in the local government system,” he warned.

The party also accused the governor of interfering with the judiciary, stressing that the courts had ruled on the matter and that their decision should be upheld without political interference.

The APC urged Adeleke to pursue legal redress at the Supreme Court rather than making inflammatory statements that could incite violence.

“If the governor is not satisfied with the ruling, the appropriate step is to approach the Supreme Court, not to incite the public against a lawful judgement,” the party added.

Dismissing accusations that the APC was planning to cause chaos in the state, the party maintained that its members had no reason to incite violence.

It argued that the real perpetrators of political violence were thugs allegedly aligned with the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

“Assuming without conceding that any group is planning to create unrest, Governor Adeleke should look within his party. PDP thugs have been attacking our members since Monday’s judgement,” the APC claimed.

The statement further alleged that APC supporters had been targeted in various parts of the state since the Court of Appeal ruling in favour of the reinstated chairmen.

“It is unfortunate that Governor Adeleke, who became governor through the judiciary, is now undermining the same institution simply because a ruling did not favour his party,” the party added.

Meanwhile, Governor Adeleke has denied the allegations and raised concerns over what he described as a plot by the opposition to destabilise the state.

In a statement issued by his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, Adeleke accused the APC of attempting to disrupt the forthcoming local government elections scheduled for February 22nd.

The Governor, who described Osun as one of the most peaceful states in the federation, decried the reprehensible desperation among the opposition politicians, especially of the All Progressive Congress which is manifesting in their concoction of fake court rulings, deliberate fabrication of fake news and condemnable building of false narratives instead of facing the electorate on February 22nd.

According to the State Governor, there is a subsisting court judgement secured by the APP which nullified the kangaroo local government election held in 2022, declaring that the judgement remains valid in law and reality.

The statement affirmed that the judgement of a Court of Appeal in Akure was about the filing of court processes by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) which had nothing to do with the subsisting judgement that sacked the illegally elected council chairmen and councilors of the APC.

“The evil agenda is designed to create chaos and push for a declaration of a state of emergency. Security agencies have been directed to apprehend anyone involved in such a plot,” the governor stated.

Adeleke maintained that a previous court ruling had nullified the 2022 local government elections that brought the reinstated chairmen into office, arguing that the recent Court of Appeal decision did not override that judgement.

“I have directed security agencies to secure the state and ensure peace is maintained. There is no legal basis for any group to take over local government offices illegally.

“Anybody who tests our resolve to sustain law and order in Osun state will have himself to blame. As the Chief Security Officer for the state, I am determined to deploy all available machinery of the state to maintain peace and punish trouble makers.

“I also call on citizens and residents of the state to go about their normal activities without fear or intimidation.

“The government is on top of the situation. We are resolved to keep the state and the streets safe from anti-democratic elements,” he vowed.