Adeleke to Oyetola: Allow Osun to breathe, enough is enough

Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke has urged former governor and current Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola, to stop actions he described as obstructing governance and peace in the state.

Adeleke, in a statewide broadcast on Monday, January 26, 2026, accused Oyetola of fuelling the lingering crisis at the local government level by allegedly backing court-sacked All Progressives Congress (APC) chairmen and councillors who have continued to occupy council secretariats across Osun State.

The governor said the officials were removed from office by court judgements nullifying their election, adding that fresh local government elections had since been conducted in compliance with the law.

Adeleke said the refusal of the former officials to vacate the council secretariats has disrupted grassroots governance and denied residents access to effective local administration.

He further alleged that security agencies were being used to sustain what he described as an illegal occupation of the secretariats, creating tension and fear among local government workers and residents.

Adeleke also raised concerns over the alleged withholding of local government statutory allocations, which he said has made it difficult to pay salaries and run basic services such as primary healthcare and education at the local level.

Adeleke disclosed that his administration had been compelled to borrow funds to meet salary obligations of local government workers and primary school teachers in order to avert a humanitarian crisis.

APC, PDP clash over control of Osun LG secretariats

The governor, therefore, appealed to Oyetola to desist from any actions capable of undermining democratic institutions in Osun State, stressing that the people of the state deserve peace and unhindered development.

He said: “I respectfully request that Governor Gboyega Oyetola be restrained from further issuance of illegal directives to the Nigerian Police, which undermine the very fabric of our democracy.

“There is no place in our Constitution and laws that allows for tenure elongation for any elected official.

“What confronts us here is law versus lawlessness, constitutional order versus naked impunity.

“I therefore call on Nigerians and all those who sacrificed so much for our democracy to join us in demanding an immediate end to the siege on our local governments.

“Former Governor Gboyega Oyetola, please allow Osun State to breathe. Enough is enough.”

The Star