Osun senators appeal to Tinubu to resolve council crisis threatening grassroots governance and peace. State battles dual LG leadership and withheld allocations

Osun local government crisis has reached a critical point, prompting the three senators representing the state at the National Assembly to jointly appeal to President Bola Tinubu for urgent intervention.

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The lawmakers warned that the political impasse has paralysed grassroots governance and could deepen instability if left unresolved.

In a statement released in Osogbo on Friday, Senators Francis Fadahunsi (Osun East), Dr Olalere Oyewumi (Osun West), and Olubiyi Fadeyi (Osun Central), all of the Peoples Democratic Party, urged the President to act as a neutral father figure, placing the interests of ordinary Nigerians above political affiliation.

The senators emphasised that the crisis affects communities across the state, especially at the local level, where ordinary people bear the brunt.

They applauded court rulings that addressed aspects of the conflict but insisted that only the President’s moral authority could bring about lasting peace through dialogue and reconciliation.

“This situation has created considerable instability, and we deem it important to seek your fatherly consideration,” they wrote. “We know you to be a democrat and we plead that you bring your wealth of democratic experience into resolving this political logjam.”

They urged Tinubu to demonstrate his usual approach of uniting all sides, regardless of party loyalties. The lawmakers also called on royal fathers, elder statesmen, and prominent Osun indigenes to join in persuading all stakeholders to de-escalate tensions.

“We’re all brothers and sisters in the same house in different rooms, so we sue for political peace,” they added.

The local government standoff began in February after the Court of Appeal sitting in Akure ruled in favour of officials elected in the October 15, 2022 poll, which had only All Progressives Congress candidates.

Their return to local council secretariats sparked violent resistance from PDP supporters. The clashes led to six reported deaths and prompted widespread fear among workers, who were subsequently instructed to stay away by the National Union of Local Government Employees.

Compounding the tension, the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission conducted a fresh election on February 22, which produced a new set of officials this time from the PDP.

The conflicting mandates created a power tussle across local government areas, leaving administration at a standstill.

Due to the ongoing dispute, the monthly federal allocation meant for local governments in Osun has been withheld. In response, the state government has approached the Supreme Court, seeking clarity and redress to break the deadlock.

Also read: OSUN PDP seeks direction from Governor Adeleke as Senators endorse Tinubu for second term

As the legal battle continues, the senators are appealing for leadership, dialogue and compromise. They expressed their support for the President’s efforts to build a just and peaceful nation and prayed for his continued good health and success.