Supporters of Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke on Monday moved to reclaim local government secretariats and motor parks across the state following his victory in Saturday’s governorship election.
The supporters, mainly aligned with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), were seen at several local government secretariats, where they sought to take over from chairmen and councillors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The development follows years of dispute over control of the state’s 30 local government councils.
After Adeleke defeated the APC candidate, Asiwaju Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji, in Saturday’s election, his supporters returned to structures that had been taken over by APC loyalists in the weeks leading to the poll.
Before the election, supporters of Oyebamiji had taken control of several motor parks and displaced Adeleke-aligned transport union leaders. Adeleke’s supporters were also pushed out of some council secretariats.
The dispute over the local government councils dates back to 2022.
After losing the 2022 governorship election, former Governor Adegboyega Oyetola conducted local government elections and inaugurated APC chairmen and councillors before leaving office.
After assuming office in November 2022, Adeleke removed the elected officials and appointed caretaker committees to run the councils.
The move triggered a series of legal battles and confrontations between supporters of the two parties. The clashes resulted in deaths, including that of the then Chairman of Irewole Local Government Area, Remi Abass.
Adeleke later conducted another local government election in February 2025, which the PDP won after the APC boycotted the exercise. Although the governor inaugurated the newly elected PDP chairmen, he directed them not to resume at the council secretariats to avoid confrontation with the APC officials who remained in control.
The legal dispute over which set of officials has a valid mandate remains unresolved.
While Adeleke has maintained that the APC officials had completed their tenure, the affected chairmen have argued that their tenure was interrupted and have asked the courts to determine when their terms should expire.
The Federal High Court in Osogbo dismissed a suit seeking determination or extension of the APC officials’ tenure. The affected chairmen subsequently appealed the judgment, but the Court of Appeal has yet to deliver its decision.
Monday’s attempt by Adeleke’s supporters to take control of the councils followed his re-election for a second term.
The Osun State Police Command, however, warned against any forceful takeover of council secretariats.
The Commissioner of Police, Samuel Etaifo Erale, urged residents and political groups to obey the law and allow the courts to determine the dispute.
“The Police Command wishes to state clearly that no individual, political group, or association has the right to resort to self-help or the use of force to assume control of any local government area or public institution while judicial proceedings are ongoing,” Erale said.
The struggle for control also extended to motor parks, where leadership has historically been closely linked to the political party controlling the state.
Since Adeleke assumed office in 2022, Nuru Alowonle, who is aligned with the governor, had controlled the parks. However, Kazeem Oyewale and his team, who are associated with the APC, moved into several parks a few weeks before Saturday’s election and took control.
Alowonle reportedly stayed away amid heavy security deployment across the state but returned to some of the parks after Adeleke was declared winner of the election.
The latest developments have raised concerns over possible clashes as both political camps continue to contest control of the councils and motor parks while the local government leadership dispute remains before the courts.
