Osun State has been thrown into crisis following violent clashes between political supporters, leading to multiple deaths.
The National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Ajibola Basiru, and the Osun State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Kolapo Alimi, engaged in a heated exchange over the unrest during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Monday.
The violence, which erupted on Monday, resulted in at least six deaths, with several others injured. Commissioner Alimi expressed concern over the killings, stating that despite Governor Ademola Adeleke’s call for President Bola Tinubu’s intervention, the violence persisted. He described the situation as unfortunate and extended condolences to the affected families.
“It is quite unfortunate that today we lost six good citizens of this state, irrespective of their political parties. We sympathise with the families of the deceased,” Alimi said. He also accused the APC of fueling the crisis, referencing the governor’s previous plea for Tinubu to rein in Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola.
Alimi further alleged that five members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were killed and urged authorities to take swift action. “We urge them to toe the line of peace and call on the President to quickly intervene. We want the whole world to come to our rescue,” he stated.
In response, Senator Basiru placed the blame on the PDP government, alleging that APC members were being targeted. He specifically pointed to the killing of the purportedly reinstated Chairman of Irewole Local Government, Remi Abbas.
“I am very emotional tonight. This is not politics. What happened in Osun today is carnage, and this shouldn’t be expected from someone who swore to uphold the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” Basiru said.
He accused PDP supporters of murdering Abbas in cold blood and attacking APC members. “Our chairman, Hon Remi Abbas, was cut down in his prime today and in cold blood. He was killed like a common criminal by thugs of the People Democratic Party,” Basiru claimed.
He also recounted how another APC supporter, a timber merchant, was allegedly murdered just because of his political affiliation. “A timber merchant was murdered just because he was identified. But he was nowhere near the premises of the local government. Is this just about power or are these people just mindless?” he asked.
The political crisis in Osun stems from the ongoing battle between PDP and APC members over control of local government positions. The violence reportedly intensified as APC-backed sacked local government chairmen attempted to reclaim their seats, despite court rulings removing them.
Over the weekend, Governor Adeleke had urged President Tinubu to intervene, accusing Oyetola of using security forces to help reinstate the dismissed chairmen. The situation, however, escalated on Monday with Abbas’ killing in Ikire, further worsening tensions in the state.
