From Lateef Dada, Osogbo
A coalition of civil society organisations (CSOs) in Osun State, The Osun Masterminds (TOM), has advised the the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) to return to the court for proper interpretation, instead of resorting to self help and killings over the control of the local government areas in the state.
Speaking at the monthly state of the state address yesterday, the Executive Director of TOM, Prof Wasiu Oyedokun-Alli, warned politicians to be wary of their utterances so as not to worsen the already tense situation.
“All parties must immediately return to the relevant courts to clarify the subsisting judgments so that the current issues can be amicably resolved. Once clarified, all parties must respect the decision of the courts and lay the matter to rest once and for all.
“As we approach the 2026 gubernatorial elections, all parties must show that they are committed to peace and security of lives and properties. The current crisis, if allowed to escalate to next year, has the tendency of burning down our once peaceful state.
“All parties must watch their utterances so as not to worsen the already fragile peace in the State. The OSun State Government must collaborate with the Federal Government to ensure smooth resolution of all issues on ground. Arms of government should complement one another, not be at loggerheads in this manner, if development is, indeed, our priority.
“Staff of the local governments must remain non-partisan and align themselves with the rule of law, to ensure they do not become willing tools in the hands of any politician,” the group said.
It also decried the level of poverty ravaging Nigerians and urged President Bola Tinubu to take urgent steps at salvaging the situation.
“It is obvious that the current administration is making several efforts at reviving and rejuvenating the economy of the nation. So, we make bold to say that the results of this effort on Nigerians is negative, hence, the pervasive poverty seen all over the country.
“Nigerians seem to have moved from cyclic poverty to multidimensional poverty within this period. The fuel subsidy removal caused inflation on several items, such as the basic daily needs. It has also caused a rise in the cost of services such as telecommunications, electricity and so on.
“We call on the president to urgently rethink strategies that will alleviate the ravaging poverty in the land.
We condemn the recent acquiescence of the Ministry of ICT to the increment in the data and call services of telecoms companies in the country, causing further difficulty for Nigerians,” the group said.
It also decried the attack on one of its members, Wole Aluta, saying, “We suspect that this is a state terror and won’t hesitate to hold the government accountable should anything untoward happen to him or his family.”
The group, however, commended the Federal Government for the establishment of federal university of agriculture and development studies in Osun, saying, “We believe this will further help the nation through qualitative research, thereby contributing to national development.”