Osun Like Rivers Rejects Police Security Advisory, Insist LG Polls Holds on Saturday
Olufemi Orunsola
In a dramatic move similar to the polutical drama that transpired earlier in Rivers state, the Osun State government has rejected the advice by the Nigeria Police Force to suspend the local government election in the state, insisting that the exercise must go on today.
OPEN TELEVISION NAIJA (OTN) News recalls that the police authorities from Abuja had on Friday, urged the Osun State government to suspend the elections based on security threats spotted in the state.
A statement released by the Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the police said that it received credible intelligence indicating a likelihood of violence and significant security threats should the planned elections proceed.
However, OTN News gathered that in swift but contrary response to the security advisory by the police, the Osun State Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, said that the state government acknowledges the police advice but will not go against a court order which directed that the elections be held.
The statement reads, “Osun state government has acknowledged the security advice from the Nigerian Police Force but regret to announce that the advice is rejected on the ground of rule of law and aversion to police partisanship.
“The state government under His Excellency, Governor Ademola Adeleke has reviewed the advice and has come to the conclusion that the proposal from the force headquarters was biased, partisan and in contravention of democratic tenets. The pretence of the service to be serving public good while actually promoting illegality of the APC reinforces our rejection of a Greek gift.
“From the beginning of this face off, the police have breached best practices by its open support for the All Progressive Congress, a party that is pushing for illegality through a non- existing court order. The whole world knows how the police actively aided the APC to enforce a reinstatement order that was never issued by any court of law.
“A law enforcement agency has suddenly become a partisan wing of a political party, the APC, thereby losing all toga of a fair law agency. The negative role of the police to ignite the current face off made its advice a poison chocolate.
“Beyond the above, we also call the attention of the police to the court judgment of today. It contains three orders which affirm vacancies in Osun councils by authenticating the sacking of the APC council chieftains. directed the police and other security agencies to provide security for the election and gave go ahead to fresh LG elections by Saturday 22nd.
“Instead of the police to obey court order, the service is regrettably pursuing its partisan line by actively working against rule of law as espoused by today’s court ruling.
“If the police choses to disobey court orders, the Osun state government will not go against rule of law, hence the decision of the state government to support the state electoral commission to conduct a credible free and fair elections tomorrow.
The statement concludes, “We thank the police for their advice. We respectfully turned down the request while we urge Osun voters to peacefully exercise their voting rights on Saturday".
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