Tension is running high in Osun State as gunmen wearing hoods stormed local government secretariats, following a power struggle between the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over control of the local councils.
The two parties have been at odds over the governance of the third tier of government. The APC claims that the recent Court of Appeal ruling reinstated the sacked elected council chairmen and councillors, while the State Government argues that the election was invalidated by a Federal High Court ruling in Osogbo.
Reports indicate that early on Monday, APC members attempted to take control of various council secretariats but were met with resistance from armed hoodlums.
In Boluwaduro, hoodlums blocked the APC’s efforts to seize control, while in Olorunda local government, both APC and PDP members were prevented from entering the council secretariat by the police.
Tunde Shamsudeen, a traveler along the Ikire-Ibadan expressway, told Vanguard that armed gunmen were firing shots into the air in front of the Irewole council secretariat in Ikire, which is located along the expressway. This caused motorists to divert at Ikoyi to avoid being caught in the crossfire.
It was also reported that while the APC managed to access some council secretariats, government workers stayed home in compliance with a directive from the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in the state.
Vanguard
