ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- The Osun State Government has rejected calls by the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) for the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency.
The call was made following violent clashes over the reinstatement of local government chairmen and councillors that reportedly left at least two people dead.
Tensions escalated on Monday when some sacked local government officials attempted to regain access to their offices, citing a court ruling in their favor.
However, the move met fierce resistance in several locations, including Osogbo, Ikire, and Irewole, leading to fatal clashes.
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Among the deceased was one of the reinstated council chairmen, Remi Abbas.
Appearing on Channels Television’s Politics Today, APC National Secretary, Senator Ajibola Basiru, insisted that the security situation warranted a state of emergency.
“I will suggest that perhaps it will be necessary for the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency.
“It has gotten to that stage where hapless people coming from farms are attacked by uncontrollable PDP thugs”, Basiru said.
However, Osun State Commissioner for Information, Kolapo Alimi, dismissed the demand, accusing the APC of deliberately instigating chaos to justify its call for emergency rule.
“I call on our amiable president to reject the call of Honourable Basiru and his cohorts. That is exactly what they are targeting; they deliberately caused mayhem in this state”, Alimi stated.
He further vowed to publish a list of PDP members allegedly killed in the conflict, refuting claims that a court order had reinstated the APC-backed officials.
“There is no Court of Appeal that restored them. We urge them to toe the line of peace,” he added.