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From Lateef Dada, Osogbo
Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has suspended three traditional rulers including the immediate past chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Oba Gboyega Famodun and the Chairman of the State Independent Electoral Commission (OSIEC), Segun Oladitan.
In a statement by his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, Adeleke said the Owa of Igbajo, Oba Famodun, Aree of Iree, Oba Ademola Raphael, and Akinrun of Ikirun, Oba Yunusa Akadiri, should vacate the seat and directed security operatives to take charge.
He also sacked all the 30 permanent secretaries and teachers recruited by the immediate past governor, Adegboyega Oyetola.
These are contained in six Executive Orders issued by governor yesterday, 24 hours after he mounted the saddle. The orders cover chieftaincy matters, appointments issues, setting up of review panel, staff audit and employment matters.
Adeleke said all appointments of traditional rulers made by Osun State Government after July 17, 2022, to be reviewed to ensure there was strict compliance with due process of chieftaincy declarations and native law, custom and tradition relating to such chieftaincies.
“The palaces of Akinrun of Ikirun, Aree of Iree and Owa of Igbajo should remain unoccupied, while security agencies are hereby ordered to take charge.
“All employments in the service of Osun State Government made in any capacity into any capacity in all the Ministries, Departments, Agencies, Commissions, Boards and Parastatals after July 17th, 2022 be and are hereby nullified.
“All appointments in the service of Osun State Government made in any capacity into any capacity in all the Ministries, Departments, Agencies, Commissions, Boards and Parastatals after 17th July, 2022 be and are hereby reversed.”
Also, in a statement by the Secretary to the State Government, Tesleem Igbalaye, Adeleke ordered OSIEC chairman and his members to vacate office with immediate effects.
“Pending the outcome of an investigation into the allegations against the suspended Chairman and members of the Commission, the Secretary to the Commission shall hold forth in running the affairs of the Commission.”
Meanwhile, there was unrest in Osogbo, the capital, yesterday, as some hoodlums stormed three motor parks to take over the control from Kazeem Oyewale (aka Asiri Eniba).
The hoodlums stormed the parks around 7am chasing passengers and drivers with cutlasses and guns. The incident started on Sunday shortly after the swearing-in of Adeleke.
The touts, who claimed that the chairman of the park is a loyalist of the All Progressives Congress (APC), said the tenure of Oyetola has ended and the park chairman must go.
Shops were immediately closed while residents and travellers scampered for safety.
In a coordinated manner, the hoodlums also launched another attack at Oke-Baale, Ilesa Garage and Olaiya Ojuirin Garage attacking members of transport unions at the parks. The car of one of the union members who escaped with matchet cut wounds was set on fire in the midst of the road.
Acting state Chairman of the APC, Tajudeen Lawal, has alerted the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Akali Baba Usman, to urgently intervene in the ugly security situation in the State, saying that anarchy appears to have taken the centre stage.
The party alleged that over 500 of its members have been attacked in the last 24 hours and a number of properties had been destroyed including APC campaign vehicles, billboards particularly in Osogbo, the state capital.
‘’As at the last count this morning, more than 500 APC members have been attacked while a vehicle with APC campaign inscription was burnt in Ayetoro area of Osogbo. As at the time of issuing this statement, some of our party members have sustained various degrees of injuries and gun wound at Old Garage, Ogo-Oluwa in Osogbo, and the ongoing senseless attack has already spilled to Ile Ife, Ilesa, Iwo, Ede, Ila and Ikirun.
‘’It is regrettable to see how political thugs are openly displaying guns and shooting sporadically across the state, and sadly, some men of the Nigeria Police Force are providing shield for the criminals particularly in the attack that happened at Old Garage, where Anti-Cultist Police unit team provided cover for hoodlums to attack innocent people in the area.
Reacting, Governor Adeleke, in a statement by Rasheed, directed union leaders to maintain the peace across parks.
“All union leaders and their supporters are hereby directed to remain calm and bring any grievances to the State Government for resolution. Security agencies are consequently directly to maintain law and order,” he said.
