Amidst the controversy that trailed the Osun state local council election, Gov. Ademola Adeleke has yesterday swore in 30 newly elected local government council chairmen and their councillors in the state. The State Independent Electoral Commission, OSSIEC, had announced the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, candidates emerged winners of the 30 chairmanship and 332 councillorship seats in the local government elections held on Saturday.
During the swearing in of the newly elected chairmen at the Osun state government house, Osogbo, Mr Adeleke urged the chairmen to deliver on good governance in their respective local governments.
However, he advised them to stay away from the council secretariats to avoid clash with the opposition party.
Aedeleke said, “An Osun State High Court has affirmed the vacancies in both the chairmanship and Councillorship positions in all the local government areas of Osun State before your elections on Feb. 22.
“We will, therefore, rely on the judiciary to ensure a peaceful removal of those illegally occupying the local government secretariats.
“Please be patient and always abide by the rule of law,” he added.
While congratulating the chairmen and councillors, Mr Adeleke enjoined them to ensure that good governance and dividend of democracy gets to the grassroots.
He said, “I congratulate all newly elected council chairmen and councillors. You have the mandate to deliver on good governance in your respective local governments.
“I charge you to develop plans of action within the manifesto of the PDP.
“As our government is transforming the state for the better, I call on you to be agents of change, community developer and deliverer of dividends of democracy,” he said.
Mr Adeleke applauded OSSIEC for complying with all extant rules and procedures that led to the successful conduct of the elections.
Similarly, he also commended President Bola Tinubu for not allowing his personal interest to plunge the state into crisis during the elections.
“I assure Mr President of our commitment to the rule of law and the constitution for conflict resolution and governance process,” he said.
The governor also commended the people of the state for coming out en mass to exercise their franchise during the elections.
“To the good people of Osun State, I use this occasion to express my gratitude for your steadfast support for our administration,” he said.
In his remarks, Gov. Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, who was also present at the inauguration, called on political stakeholders not to allow the state to degenerate into crisis “over a matter that can be resolved by the judiciary.”
“If anybody has a judgment, there is a procedure for enforcement of court decisions. It is illegal to resort to self help,” he said.
The ceremony was also attended Gov. Bala Mohammed of Bauchi, who is also the Chairman of PDP Governors’ Forum.
Earlier, the chairman of OSSIEC, Hassim Abioye, presented certificates of return to elected chairmen.
Mr Abioye, during the presentation, urged them to be good ambassadors of democracy, both in conduct and service to the people.
Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the state has directed its “reinstated chairmen” to resume in their respective local government areas on Monday.
The party stated this in a statement delivered by the party’s Director of Media and Information, Kola Olabisi, in Osogbo on Sunday.
The statement said that the purported directive that the chairmen and councillors should not report in their council areas was not from the party.
“We want to make it abundantly clear that it is imperative for the elected APC local government chairmen and councillors not to cease from resumption at their various local governments council areas.
The statement added, “As this will enable them to continue to serve the deprived people at the grassroots level of government.
“The APC is a party founded on the rules of law which is the reason the Court of Appeal, Akure, judgment of Feb. 10 is the basic instrument of your reinstatement,” it said. NAN
