Adeleke Urges Tinubu to Caution Oyetola as APC Backs Minister

Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke calls on President Tinubu to caution Gboyega Oyetola, while the APC stands firm in defense of the Minister. The political tension in Osun continues to escalate.

Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State has urged President Bola Tinubu to address the conduct of Gboyega Oyetola, the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, regarding an alleged scheme to incite chaos and disorder in the Southwest state.

During a press briefing on Sunday, Adeleke claimed that his predecessor had directed the police and the Department of State Services “to enforce a non-existent judgment by forcefully seizing control of the local governments on Monday.”

The governor stated that the main issue is the audacity to reinstate council chairmen, who were removed by an existing court judgment, using a different court’s decision which lacks any consequential order.

I want to clarify that the Council Chairmen were dismissed before I assumed office as governor of Osun State. Contrary to false claims, their removal was not a result of my Executive Order.

I want to emphasize that I had no involvement in the dismissal of the chairmen and councillors elected during the Osun 2022 local government elections. Their removal was a result of two separate rulings by the Federal High Court in Osogbo.

In a democratic society where the rule of law prevails, everyone must adhere to legal requirements. If we are unhappy with the result of a court decision, we have the option to appeal through successive courts up to and including the Supreme Court.

Adeleke encouraged Tinubu to uphold the rule of law by directing the police and DSS not to follow any unlawful directives from his nephew, Mr. Gboyega Oyetola. He also emphasized that security leaders in Osun State should be brought into line with this principle.

He urged the President to direct both the National Security Adviser and the Attorney General of the Federation to personally confirm that the Court of Appeal’s judgment did not reinstate the dismissed local government chairmen and councillors. He also emphasized that there is an existing court ruling which removed those elected in the 2022 local government elections, he said.

In response, the state’s chapter of Oyetola’s party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), rejected Adeleke’s claims as an attempt to sidestep legal processes. They advised him to take his case to the Supreme Court if he is unhappy with the ruling from the Court of Appeal.

Kola Olabisi, the spokesperson for Osun APC, refuted claims that Oyetola had given any unlawful orders to security agencies. He accused Adeleke of opting for blackmail rather than seeking legal action.

According to Olabisi, “Oyetola has not directed anyone, including security leaders, on how to perform their duties. Adeleke should understand that using blackmail or playing on emotions will not alter the court’s ruling.”

He contended that the APC-led local government officials, who were unjustly removed in 2022, have now been lawfully reinstated by the courts.

“The court has rendered its decision, and those impacted by Adeleke’s actions have been neglected for far too long. With justice now served, Oyetola, as the leader of the Osun APC, is dedicated to ensuring the ruling is enforced,” he stated.

Olabisi emphasized that the APC would continue to follow the law while also ensuring compliance with the court’s decision.

“The Court of Law has delivered its verdict, and it must be followed. Therefore, he should cease the blackmail efforts because they won’t succeed here. As for us in APC, we will continue to respect the law while actively defending our rights,” he concluded.