Atiku applaud Adeleke for defying FG, by proceeding with LG poll

The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the 2023 elections, Atiku Abubakar, has commended the Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, for defying the federal government by going ahead to conduct the local government election in the state.

In a post via his official X handle on Saturday, Atiku called for a peaceful and hitch-free election and urged security agencies and electoral officials to perform their duties with the highest sense of responsibility to the public.

He wrote, “As residents in Osun State, go out to the polls today to elect council chairpersons, I once again urge for a peaceful and hitch-free exercise.

“The local council election is the heartbeat of a democratic system, given that its outcome impacts closely on the lives of the citizens.

“I commend Governor Ademola Adeleke for going ahead with the exercise and urge security agencies and polling officials to perform their duties with the highest sense of responsibility to the public.”

PUNCH Online reports that the Federal Government, through the Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, and the Nigeria Police, had called for the suspension of the election in the state based on credible intelligence obtained.

In a statement issued by the Force Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, the police said the credible intelligence indicates a high likelihood of violence and significant security threats should the planned council election be held in the state.

However, the Osun State Government declined the security advice from the Nigeria Police Force, which resulted in the suspension of the election.

In a statement signed late Friday by the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, the state government stated that the grounds for rejecting the advice were based on the rule of law and aversion to police partisanship.

The state government also accused the police of pursuing partisan interests rather than obeying court orders and working against the rule of law.

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 LGAs after the election conducted by OSSIEC on October 15 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.