OSUN: Govt ignore police advice, insists LG poll will hold

Yesterday, the police urged the state government to postpone the elections, citing credible intelligence of a potential security threat.

Force Public Relations Officer Olumuyiwa Adejobi stated that allowing the elections to go ahead could lead to violence and pose a significant risk to public safety.

However, in response, Osun State Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment Kolapo Alimi issued a statement rejecting the police advisory, arguing that the state could not override a court ruling mandating that the elections be conducted.

“The Osun State government acknowledges the security advice from the Nigerian Police Force but regrets to announce that the advice is rejected on the grounds of rule of law and aversion to police partisanship,” the statement read.

Governor Ademola Adeleke’s administration accused the police of taking a biased stance in favor of the All Progressives Congress (APC), claiming that their opposition to the elections was politically motivated.

“The police have breached best practices by openly supporting the APC, a party pushing for illegality through a non-existent court order. The entire world saw how the police actively aided the APC in enforcing a reinstatement order that was never issued by any court of law,” the statement continued.

The state government also pointed to a court ruling issued earlier in the day, which affirmed vacancies in local councils, validated the removal of APC-backed officials, and directed security agencies to provide protection for the elections scheduled for today.

“If the police choose to disobey court orders, the Osun State government will not. Therefore, we stand by the state electoral commission to ensure a free, fair, and credible election,” the government stated.

The government urged voters to turn out peacefully and exercise their rights, reiterating that the election would go on despite the police advisory.