Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has raised concerns over an alleged scheme by the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola, to incite unrest in the state. Governor Adeleke claims that Oyetola is issuing unauthorized orders to security agencies to facilitate the illegal reinstatement of dismissed local government chairpersons.
During a press conference on Sunday, Governor Adeleke alleged that Oyetola, leveraging his position as President Bola Tinubu’s nephew, is collaborating with the Osun State Commissioner of Police, the Director of the Department of State Services (DSS), and the Commandant of the Civil Defence Corps to execute these unlawful actions. He emphasized that President Tinubu, whom he regards as a genuine democrat, would not support actions that could lead to violence.
Governor Adeleke warned that Oyetola’s alleged plan, expected to commence on Monday, has the potential to destabilize Osun State. He stated, “The malicious scheme is being led by Mr. Gboyega Oyetola in active collaboration with security agencies. He is issuing illegal directives simply because he is the President’s nephew.”
The governor clarified that the local government chairpersons in question were removed from office by two Federal High Court rulings prior to his tenure. He refuted allegations that his administration was responsible for their dismissal. According to Governor Adeleke, although the All Progressives Congress (APC) achieved a partial victory in an appeal against one of the judgments, the ruling did not include any order reinstating the ousted officials. Additionally, the APC’s appeal against a separate judgment that upheld their removal was unsuccessful, rendering that decision legally binding.
He stressed that the lawful course of action available to the APC is to contest the ruling at the Supreme Court, rather than engaging in alleged political manipulations. Governor Adeleke expressed his concerns, stating, “I have chosen to alert the nation before my people are harmed by a minister using the President’s name to justify illegality.”
The governor called upon President Tinubu and the public to intervene to prevent what he described as an abuse of power that could destabilize Osun State. He urged legal experts and the Nigerian Bar Association to examine the judgments, asserting that even a layperson could understand their implications, except those intent on disrupting the peace and progress of Osun State.
Governor Adeleke emphasized the importance of adhering to the rule of law in a democratic society. He stated that if individuals are dissatisfied with a court’s decision, they should appeal to a higher court, up to the Supreme Court. He condemned any attempts to take the law into one’s own hands as illegal, unconstitutional, and anti-democratic.
The governor accused Mr. Oyetola of instructing the Osun State Commissioner of Police, the state Director of the DSS, and the state Commandant of the Civil Defence Corps to mobilize security personnel to enforce a non-existent judgment by forcefully taking over local governments on Monday. He claimed that Mr. Oyetola and the police chief have been holding meetings to plan these “illegal operations.”
Governor Adeleke asserted that Mr. Oyetola lacks the constitutional authority to issue directives to security agencies and that being the President’s nephew does not grant him such power. He described this situation as a significant betrayal of the trust placed in Osun State security officers by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
He further stated that the current actions of Mr. Oyetola and the heads of Osun security agencies constitute serious incitement and need to cease immediately. While emphasizing a commitment to peace and lawful conduct, Governor Adeleke warned that any attempt to impose illegality and anarchy on the people of Osun would be firmly resisted.
The governor appealed to President Tinubu, as a recognized democrat, to uphold the rule of law by directing the Inspector General of Police, the Director General of the DSS, and the Commandant General of the Civil Defence Corps not to comply with any illegal orders from Mr. Oyetola. He also called on the President to instruct the National Security Adviser and the Attorney General of the Federation to verify that the Court of Appeal judgment did not reinstate the dismissed local government chairpersons and that a subsisting court judgment upheld their removal.
Governor Adeleke concluded by stating that the Nigerian public should hold Mr. Oyetola and the Osun State security chiefs accountable for any breakdown of law and order in the state. He expressed concern that the state’s security leaders are taking instructions from Mr. Oyetola solely because of his familial relationship with the President. While pledging to do everything possible to maintain peace, he called on individuals of goodwill to intervene before the situation escalates.
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