12 hours ago
10 ARTICLE AD
The Osun State Police Command and the state Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps may not be deploying operatives for today’s local government election, Saturday PUNCH has learnt.
While the two security organisations did not officially confirm or deny their participation in the poll, top sources said security agencies were not directed to participate in the election.
A senior police officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said, “We have not been directed to participate in the poll. You know the position of the Federal Government through what the Attorney General of the Federation, Mr Lateef Fagbemi (SAN) said.
“The police and other security agents will be in town to ensure security but they are not told to participate in the election. But no one will speak to you about it here. The decision about it was made in Abuja.
“If you listen to IG’s remarks about the Osun local government crises when he spoke in Abuja on Thursday, you will have a better idea about the position of the police regarding the election.”
But the Osun Amotekun Corps said its men had been deployed in obedience to the order of an Osun State High Court sitting in Ilesa, which mandated all security agencies to maintain law and order during the poll.
Speaking exclusively with Saturday PUNCH, the Osun Amotekun Corps Commander, Isaac Omoyele, said operatives of the corps had been deployed for the exercise.
Omoyele, while responding to enquiry from our correspondent on whether the agency would join the poll, asked, “Have you seen a copy of the court order that said we should participate in the election?
“In obedience to that order, we have deployed men across the state for the election to ensure that we have a peaceful exercise. Amotekun will participate and provide security during the poll. We have been served the court order and we will obey.”
OSSIEC staff abandon office
Checks by our correspondents at the headquarters of the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission in Osogbo showed slow pace of activities.
There was heavy security presence at the entrance of the building as those going in were subjected to thorough checks. But the premises were not sealed as speculated.
Party leaders, journalists and ad hoc staff were observed waiting for materials and identification tags to be distributed to them. But no official of the commission was on ground to attend to them.
The mobile phone number of the chairman of the commission, Hashim Abioye, was switched off when called around 5pm on Friday.
There was no distribution of materials on the premises and at the hall of Fakunle Comprehensive High School, Osogbo, where the ad hoc staff recruited by the commission were told to converge.
Some staff members of the commission, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said they stayed away from the office to avoid arrest.
One of them said, “We envisaged this and we have moved our materials out of the commission’s office since. Those that do not want the election to hold may arrest us.
“We have our offices in different places in the town. Our people are afraid. We have not been going to the office since Wednesday evening.”
Low awareness among residents
There was apparent low awareness about the poll among residents as some of them that spoke on the election were indifferent about it.
A trader around Olaiya area of Osogbo, Yusuf Olutope, who said he was unaware of the poll, said he was unsure he would vote.
“Election is being held tomorrow? (Saturday)”, he asked. “I am not sure I will vote. You can observe there’s no enthusiasm about it among residents.”
Another resident, who identified herself only as Kudrat, said, “I know the election is scheduled for tomorrow but you can see people don’t feel it. There’s nothing to suggest people are preparing for it.”
Osun court mandates OSSIEC to conduct election
Meanwhile, an Osun State High Court sitting in Ilesa on Friday held that vacancies existed in all the 30 LGAs in the state and mandated the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission to fill the offices.
Justice Adeyinka Aderibigbe, while ruling on a motion on notice filed by the Peoples Democratic Party in a suit number HIL/M/.192025, against the Osun State Electoral Commission and Hashim Abioye, the OSSIEC chairman, also directed law enforcement agencies to provide security during and after the local government election.
Aderibigbe held that vacancies exist in Osun LGA, after the election conducted by OSSIEC on 15th October, 2022, was invalidated by the Federal High Court in a judgement delivered on November 30, 2022.
He also said the judgement of the Federal High Court was confirmed by the decision of the Court of Appeal delivered on January 13, 2025.
APC kicks
Reacting to the ruling, the Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress berated the PDP over the injunction calling on security agents to supervise the council election.
A press release by the Osun APC chairman, Tajudeen Lawal, said the interim order was a ‘joke taken too far.’
He contended that Nigerian statutes did not prescribe that a lower court should override an Appeal Court judgement.
He called for firmness with the way security agents had been enforcing the February 10, 2025, Court of Appeal judgement that reinstated the “cruelly sacked local government political functionaries by Governor Adeleke in 2022.”
“I can’t imagine a state in very civilized South Western Nigeria to be drifting into abyss and brigandage and perverting the rule of law which the ineptitude of its leadership is breeding,” Lawal added.
Labour Party seeks postponement
Also, the Forum of Labour Party candidates in the Osun council election, has called for a shift in the poll, lamenting that OSSIEC had not made available needed identification for party agents and others that would work during the poll.
Addressing journalists in Osogbo, the leader of the Forum, Mr. Bode Babalola, who is the chairmanship candidate of the party for Osogbo LGA, also said security situation was not encouraging and feared asking agents of the party to go out for the election might be a risk.
Speaking in a similar vein, the Labour Party Chairman in Osun, Adebayo Bello, who said the party spent over N5m to obtain nomination form for the election, said the decision of the candidates should be respected.
Police ask Adeleke to suspend poll
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Police Force has called on the Osun State Government to suspend the LG election.
The police stated that joint intelligence assessments revealed that various groups, including political elements and other interested parties, were mobilising to instigate unrest, disrupt public peace, and undermine the democratic process.
In a statement on Friday, the Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said the intelligence reports at the disposal of the police showed a high possibility of violence in the state should the election be held.
“The Nigeria Police Force has received credible intelligence indicating a high likelihood of violence and significant security threats should the planned Local Government elections proceed in Osun State.
“Given this imminent threat to security, the NPF strongly advises the Osun State Government to suspend the planned elections forthwith in the interest of public safety and national stability.”
