Bauchi, Oyo Govs, Oyinlola, Lasun Present As Osun Gov Swears In New LG Chairmen
Instructs them to stay away from secretariats for now
Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State has officially sworn in the 30 newly elected local government chairmen, urging them to stay away from the local government secretariats for now due to the ongoing legal dispute concerning the tenure of the previous chairmen. This move is to prevent any potential violence in the state until the legal matter is resolved.
The inauguration ceremony, held at the State Secretariat, was graced by notable members and leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from both within Osun State and beyond. Among the dignitaries were the chairman of the PDP Governors Forum and governor of Bauchi State, Bala Mohammed; his Oyo State counterpart, Engr. Seyi Makinde; and a former governor of Osun State, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola.
According to reports, the new chairmen were elected in the local government elections held on February 22, 2025, and subsequently received their certificates of return from Barrister Hashim Abioye, the chairman of the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSSIEC).
In his speech, Governor Adeleke instructed the new chairmen to refrain from occupying the local government secretariats to avoid potential clashes with those occupying the offices under controversial circumstances. He emphasized that an Osun State High Court had declared the positions of both the chairmen and councilors vacant before the election, and that the state would rely on the judiciary to peacefully remove the illegal occupants from the secretariats.
“An Osun State High Court had affirmed the vacancies in both the chairman and councilor positions in all of Osun State Local Governments before your election on the 22nd February 2025. We will, therefore, rely on the judiciary to ensure a peaceful removal of those illegally occupying the local government secretariats,” Adeleke said.
The new chairmen were reminded by the governor of their responsibility to deliver good governance to their constituencies, urging them to develop action plans that align with the manifesto of the PDP. He tasked them to be agents of change and community developers, ensuring the delivery of the dividends of democracy.
Other key dignitaries present at the ceremony included a former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Lasun Yusuff; Osun State deputy governor, Prince Kola Adewusi; Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Hon. Adewale Egbedun; and the state PDP chairman, Hon. Sunday Bisi.
Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State also addressed the new chairmen, reminding them to remain true to the promises they made during their campaigns. He emphasized that their election was an opportunity to deliver tangible benefits to the grassroots and assured them that hard work would lead to further opportunities.
“This will be your stepping stones to higher positions, and the reward for hard work and delivery is more work,” Makinde said. He also urged the new chairmen to refrain from resorting to self-help or using federal power to bypass the legal processes.
“We don’t want ‘Wild Wild West’ again. They should stay away from this zone. We want to peacefully provide the dividends of democracy to the people. They should not resort to self-help even if there is a court judgment. They should not think because they have Federal might. This is a Federal arrangement,” Makinde added.
The event marked a significant moment for Osun State as it witnessed the swearing-in of new local government leaders tasked with overseeing grassroots development and governance.
