Between Governor Ademola Adeleke and Ex-Governor Gboyega Oyetola: Who Blinks First?

The political battle between Governor Ademola Adeleke and his predecessor, Minister of Marine and Blue Economy Gboyega Oyetola, has intensified over the past two months following a controversial Court of Appeal judgment. The ruling, delivered in Akure in February, allegedly reinstated local government chairmen and councillors previously sacked by a Federal High Court. This judgment came barely three weeks before the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSSIEC) was set to conduct fresh local government elections, a process that had been publicly announced a year earlier.

Supreme Court Dismisses PDP’s Appeal Against Ondo Governor Aiyedatiwa

The interpretation of the appellate court’s judgment has been a subject of intense debate among legal experts. While some senior lawyers, including the Minister of Justice, argued that the ruling favoured the reinstatement of the sacked APC chairmen, others maintained that the court did not explicitly reinstate them.

Below are the reliefs sought by the APC in the Akure Court of Appeal:

1. An order allowing this appeal.
2. An order setting aside the ruling delivered by the lower court on 15th September 2022 and dismissing the 1st respondent’s motion on notice to amend, dated 29th August 2022 (but filed on 2nd September 2022).
3. An order granting the appellants’ motion on notice to dismiss the suit dated 28th October 2022.
4. An order setting aside and nullifying the judgment of the lower court delivered on 25th November 2022.
5. An order invoking Section 16 of the Court of Appeal Act to determine the suit of the 1st respondent on the basis of the originating summons dated 27th July 2022.
6. An order dismissing Suit No: FHC/OS/CS/94/2022.
7. An order restoring the appellants back into their offices, having been duly elected by the citizens of Osun State.
8. Such further or other orders as this honourable court may make in the circumstances of this appeal.

Only prayers 1, 2, 3, and 4 were granted, while others were refused by the three-man appeal court panel. Meanwhile, the PDP is also relying on another judgment of the Federal High Court in a case filed by the APP, which sacked the APC chairmen. This case was also struck out by the appellate court in Akure.

This legal ambiguity set the stage for a fierce political showdown between the ruling PDP government in Osun and the APC.

Ex-Governor Oyetola, as the leader of the APC in Osun, faced mounting pressure from party loyalists to leverage federal influence in their favour and exploit the ambiguity in the rulings. He responded by assuring party leaders of federal backing and mobilizing the sacked council chairmen to take over their respective local governments. This move led to violent clashes, as PDP supporters mobilized to resist the APC chairmen from taking over. This clash resulted in tragic casualties, including the killing of an APC chairman in Isokan, a PDP member in Ilesa, and further violence in Boripe and Ayedire local government areas.

Oyetola also employed all available means to halt the local government election, with the help of police and the Minister of Justice issuing separate statements advising the state government and OSSIEC against proceeding with the poll.

Despite these warnings, OSSIEC went ahead with the election. The police intervened by sealing the commission’s headquarters and arresting polling agents in an attempt to prevent the election. However, the election proceeded under tense conditions, and with the APC boycotting the process, all PDP candidates emerged victorious.

The aftermath of the election saw heightened tensions across Osun. Backed by police support, the APC chairmen forcibly gained entry into the council offices, only to be met with no local government wrokers that would work with them.

In response to the escalating crisis, the National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) directed its members to stop reporting to work. As a result, the so-called “reinstated” APC chairmen have been operating without civil servants, effectively rendering their presence in office symbolic rather than functional. Meanwhile, Governor Adeleke officially swore in the newly elected PDP chairmen but advised them not to resume work at the councils for now, suggesting they could function from alternative locations.

Sensing the gravity of the situation, Governor Adeleke has embarked on a series of consultations with key stakeholders in Osun. He visited former Governor and APC chieftain Chief Bisi Akande at his home in Ibadan with some of his cabinet members and convened a meeting with royal fathers across the state to discuss the local government crisis.

Compounding the matter, local government staff, including primary school teachers and health workers, have reportedly faced delays in February salary payments. Speculations suggest that the federal government may have withheld Osun’s local government allocations as part of the political battle.

In what appears to be a fresh offensive against Oyetola, Governor Adeleke’s camp has reportedly petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), accusing the former governor of corruption. The petition alleges that Oyetola mismanaged funds meant for revitalizing primary health centers and that some of his former commissioners used companies in which they had interests to secure government contracts. Furthermore, billions of naira were allegedly laundered from local government accounts through a civil servant named Akeem Ibitoye, a deputy director of finance in a local government who voluntarily retired during the investigation.

In response, the APC, in defence of Oyetola’s administration, organized a press conference explaining how the said $20 million was judiciously utilized. They also released a compendium of achievements from Oyetola’s tenure in the health sector.

At the heart of this fierce political rivalry is the 2026 Osun governorship election. The APC has vowed to reclaim the state from the PDP, and one of their strategies is to rattle the current government by using the courts to take control at the grassroots level. However, questions remain about who will lead the APC’s charge.

While rumours suggest Oyetola might not contest, he has not publicly declared his stance. However, there are speculations that he may be grooming his trusted ally, his former Commissioner for Finance, Bola Oyebamiji, who now serves as the Managing Director of the Nigerian Inland Waterways Authority under the Marine and Blue Economy Ministry. Additionally, the APC’s National Secretary, Senator Basiru Ajibola, has openly declared his intention to run for governor, a move that is currently causing ripples within the APC.

The ongoing battle between Adeleke and Oyetola is a test of political strength ahead of 2026. Adeleke, leveraging his incumbency, has shown resilience in pushing back against “federal might.” Meanwhile, Oyetola, with his federal backing, remains a formidable force within Osun’s APC. His recent moves signal to anyone within the APC that he still wields significant political influence.

Political analysts opine that this is just the beginning and that the ruling APC at the federal level will likely deploy its full “federal might” in the 2026 elections in Osun, potentially influencing INEC and security agencies in their favour.

However, Osun State cannot afford to be a battleground for personal political ambitions. The violence witnessed during the forceful takeover of local government secretariats is a stark reminder of the potential consequences of unchecked political rivalry. As 2026 approaches, both parties must prioritize peace, stability, and the welfare of the people over political supremacy.

For now, neither Adeleke nor Oyetola appears ready to bow. But in the grand chessboard of Osun politics, the ultimate test will be who can outmanoeuvre the other without plunging the state into deeper chaos.

Femi Adesola
adesolafemigab@gmail.com