The All Progressives Congress, APC, in Osun State has called on the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to order an investigation into what it described as a plot by the state government to attack its members using impersonators dressed as police officers.
The Osun APC made this allegations in a statement signed by its Director of Media and Information, Kola Olabisi on Sunday in Osogbo.
The party alleged that the state government led by Governor Ademola Adeleke was planning to use individuals disguised in police uniforms to disrupt market activities and injure officials of local governments led by the APC.
The party claimed that since the Court of Appeal in Akure reinstated its elected local government executives on February 10, 2025, the state government had been involved in various tactics to frustrate their return to office.
“The latest in the government’s puerile attempt is to mobilise Niger Delta militants and hoodlums from the South-West, dress them in police uniforms, and send them to markets to cause chaos,”; the statement read.
APC also stated that the alleged plan aimed to wrongly implicate the party for any violence or disorder that might result from the actions of the impostors.
Olabisi also said: “It is unfortunate that Governor Adeleke has refused to accept that the APC chairmen and councillors, reinstated by the court, are legally empowered to administer local government affairs, including market supervision.”;
According to the party, the reinstated officials had already announced a suspension of tax and levy collection in markets, a decision it said was aimed at relieving traders who had suffered under the previous system.
Osun APC warned that the state government had no constitutional backing to interfere in market administration, which it maintained is the statutory responsibility of local governments.
“It is the Court of Appeal judgement of 10th February that restored the rightful authority of these officials. They are not acting illegally by performing duties clearly within their mandate,”; it said.
The party criticised Governor Adeleke for not seeking redress at the Supreme Court if he disagreed with the appellate ruling, accusing him of resorting instead to unlawful tactics.
“We invite the Inspector-General of Police and the Osun Commissioner of Police to caution Governor Adeleke and his agents. No part of the Constitution allows a governor to take over market administration,” it stated.
The party warmed that it would resist any attempt to hinder its reinstated council officials from carrying out their constitutional duties, urging law enforcement to prevent further escalation of political tensions in the state.
Recently, Governor Adeleke has directed the state Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Umar Abba, to immediately put a halt to the actions of the All Progressives Congress, APC, local government chairmen.
This comes as Governor Adeleke accused them of perpetrating illegal taxation and forgery of council documents.
The governor, in a statement released by his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, on Sunday, condemned the unauthorized imposition of levies on market operators and described the alleged acts as threats to law and order across local government areas.
Governor Adeleke called on the police to invite the affected individuals for questioning over claims of forging council documents and collecting dubious revenues using falsified materials.
