The three lawmakers representing Osun State in the Senate, have appealed to President Bola Tinubu to assist the state in resolving the current crises ravaging council areas in Osun.
The lawmakers, Francis Fadahunsi, (Osun East Senatorial District), Dr. Olalere Oyewumi, (Osun West) and Olubiyi Fadeyi, (Osun Central), all elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, in a jointly signed statement obtained in Osogbo on Friday, pleaded with Tinubu to play a fatherly role to all parties involved in the crisis without looking at their political affiliations.
They said Tinubu should urgently intervene as an ordinary Nigerian, particularly those at the grassroots are the ones mostly affected by the crisis.
Commending the rulings of the courts on the crises, they expressed belief in Tinubu’s fatherly role to bring the dispute to a final halt, noting that alternative dispute resolution is usually the right approach to settle disagreements.
“We are writing to respectfully appeal to you to intervene in the lingering political crisis that has been ongoing within the Local Government Administration in Osun State.
“This situation has created considerable instability, and we deem it important to seek your fatherly consideration
“Your Excellency, we are aware of your concern for the ordinary Nigerian and particularly those at the grassroots who are most affected by this crisis, the reason we seek your urgent and dispassionate intervention,” the letter read partly.
Making further appeal, the lawmakers said, “Mr President, we the Senators from Osun state know you to be a democrat and we plead that you bring your wealth of democratic experience into resolving this political logjam. We want you as usual to demonstrate that you are the father of all irrespective of our political affiliations.”
They also called on royal fathers, elder statesmen and highly respected sons and daughters of Osun to join in appealing to Tinubu, adding that “We’re all brothers and sisters in the same house in different rooms so we sue for political peace.”
They assured the President of unalloyed support and cooperation in his efforts to build a good country and “We pray for good health and more success for the administration.”
Local Government administration in Osun has been hit with crisis since February, when chairmen and councillors, elected in the October 15, 2022 local government election, which had only candidates of the All Progressives Congress in the ballot, returned to the LG secretariats across the state, following a judgement of the Court of Appeal, Akure Division.
During the mayhem that ensued when the officials who returned to offices were resisted by the members of the PDP, the state police command confirmed that 6 people were killed at different locations across the state.
Since the crisis started, workers in the council areas have stayed away from their duty posts on the directive of the state leadership of the National Union of Local Government Employees.
The Osun State Independent Electoral Commission, also conducted another election on February 22, which produced another set of local government officials all elected on the platform of PDP.
Due to the impasse, the monthly allocation due to local government areas in the state has been withheld, prompting the State Government to approach the Supreme Court to seek redress.
