By our reporter
Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State this morning cast his vote in the controversial Local Government (LG) elections, ongoing across the South-West State. The polls are for the positions of Chairmen and Councillors of the state’s 30 LG Areas.
After casting his vote in his hometown, Ede, Gov. Adeleke, elected on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), expressed confidence in the process, tasking Osun residents to maintain peace during the exercise.
Reports from some LGs so far say the turnout,though slow initially, is increasing even as the Nigeria Police Force withdrew from election security duties, citing the governor’s refusal to comply with a court order purportedly reinstating some LG Chairmen elected,before 2022, on the platform of All Progressives Congress (APC).
The police believe such move by Adeleke was a harbinger for crisis during the elections especially as the returnee Chairmen, backed by federal Attorney General (AGF), Lateef Fagbemi SAN, insisted that their allegedly truncated tenure will end in October, 2025 and not today,thus,in their view, making the ongoing elections “invalid and unconstitutional.”
A bid by some of the Chairmen to physically reclaim their seats in LG Secretariats in the state last Monday, had resulted in clashes with PDP thugs and officials, leaving at least six dead, including one of the returnee Chairmen.
The Chairmen had been sacked by a November,2022 Federal High Court order, but a February 10, 2025 Appeal Court judgment on the matter was interpreted in different ways by both the state government and the APC.
On Friday, February 21, an Osun State High Court ordered that the elections should hold today and directed all listed security agencies, including the police, to provide security for the polls.
More reports coming…
