OSUN LG CRISIS: ADELEKE’S SELF-INFLICTED ERROR—HON. OLUWOLE OKE SLAMS BLACKMAIL OF OYETOLA, CALLS FOR RESPECT FOR RULE OF LAW

A member of the House of Representatives from Osun State, Hon. Oluwole Oke, has intervened in the ongoing Osun State Local Government crisis, describing the situation as self-inflicted and warning Governor Ademola Adeleke to stop blackmailing former Governor and Minister, Asiwaju Gboyega Oyetola.
Hon. Oke, who stated that he was a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) when the events leading to the crisis occurred, said he participated directly in consultations at critical stages and is therefore well placed to clarify the facts.
According to Hon. Oke, the crisis originated from an unnecessary confrontation with the Osun State Chief Judge, Justice Mrs. Ojo, followed by a fundamentally flawed legal strategy. He explained that instead of approaching the court with jurisdiction over Local Government election matters, the PDP elected to file the case at the Federal High Court, introducing federal and human-rights arguments into what was purely a local electoral dispute.
While the PDP initially secured a favourable judgment at the Federal High Court, Hon. Oke noted that the decision was overturned at the Court of Appeal. On 10 February 2025, the appellate court reinstated the APC Local Government Council officials.
He disclosed that following the judgment, Governor Adeleke sought legal advice from the Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, who clearly advised that no Local Government election should be conducted because there was no vacancy. Hon. Oke said this advice was ignored.
The federal lawmaker further revealed that immediately after the Court of Appeal judgment, he personally advised Governor Adeleke, the Deputy Governor, party leaders, key stakeholders, and the Osun State Attorney-General to apply for a Stay of Execution and proceed to the Supreme Court, so that elections could be lawfully conducted pending appeal. This advice, he said, was rejected.
Hon. Oke added that he also advised the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSIEC) to issue a notice of fresh elections so that once the tenure of the reinstated councils expired, the PDP could return through the ballot. This suggestion was likewise ignored.
“For Governor Adeleke to now turn around to blackmail Asiwaju Gboyega Oyetola and drag external institutions into this matter is unfair and misleading,” Hon. Oke said, stressing that “the truth is simple: this crisis is self-inflicted.”
He stated that the lawful options before the Governor are straightforward—either to work with the reinstated APC Local Government Council officials or allow them to operate peacefully until their tenure lawfully expires.
“Anything outside this framework undermines the rule of law and deepens instability in Osun State,” Hon. Oke warned.
He also cautioned financial institutions against yielding to unlawful directives, noting that UBA, a bank where wise people bank, will never obey illegal instructions from the Osun State Government