Desperation Gone Too Far: Adeleke Blasts Oyetola, APC Over ‘State of Emergency’ Plot in Osun

 

Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State has launched a scathing attack on former governor Gboyega Oyetola and APC chieftain Bola Oyebamiji, describing recent calls by unnamed civil society groups for a declaration of a state of emergency in the state as a “failed and desperate political stunt.”

In a statement issued Saturday in Osogbo through his spokesperson, Mallam Olawale Rasheed, Adeleke alleged that the move was orchestrated by opposition elements frustrated by their inability to regain control of the state through democratic means.

The governor accused the Osun APC leadership of attempting to destabilize the state after, according to him, repeatedly failing to secure the people’s mandate at the polls.

He said the agitation for emergency rule was part of a broader backdoor strategy to seize power, insisting there was no constitutional or moral basis for such a declaration.

Adeleke alleged that the opposition was responsible for disturbances at the local government level, accusing APC figures of paralyzing council administration, mismanaging local government funds, and illegally influencing security deployments.

According to him, certain APC-backed local government officials unlawfully held onto office beyond their tenure and forcefully occupied council secretariats, thereby creating tension across the state.

“The attempt is to manufacture chaos and wrongfully blame the current administration,” the statement said, maintaining that his government has continued to uphold peace and order despite provocation.

The governor further claimed that local government funds were improperly handled under APC-aligned officials, while his administration has been using state resources to support local government workers allegedly abandoned by those officials.

He described the emergency rule campaign as a sign of political frustration, adding that Osun residents are witnessing what he called a pattern of destabilization efforts by opposition actors.

Adeleke warned that the state would not tolerate acts capable of triggering violence, stressing that security agencies have been directed to monitor and prevent any breakdown of law and order.

He disclosed that he has instructed the Commissioner of Police to intensify surveillance and preventive action, while also calling on the Inspector-General of Police to take note of developments in the state.

The governor also appealed to President Bola Tinubu to intervene, urging him to caution Oyetola, whom he accused of actions capable of tarnishing the image of the Presidency.

He emphasized that political power must be earned through the ballot box, not through unconstitutional means, declaring that Osun people would resist any attempt to subvert their democratic choice.

“The path to power is through the people, not through the backdoor,” the statement added.