By Sarafa Ibrahim
For a long time, I have heard people talk about the tough job faced by manipulators. But I can confirm it now after reading a piece authored by one Prof. Olaoye Abegunde Oladipupo in an apparent effort to misrepresent the fact on the illegal attempt by the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun state, which he is obviously working for, to take over councils in the state.
I give it to Abegunde Oladipupo because contrary to the impression he tried to sell, he ended up exposing his mischief and love for illegality, which raised serious questions about what he actually represents. Yes, the entire body of his piece is nothing but conspiratorial, especially as he laboured without success to blame the local government crisis on Governor Ademola Adeleke.
The mistake, I believe Abegunde Oladipupo made was thinking that he can impose his illogical and outright misrepresentations of the true situation of things on the public, particularly misled President Bola Tinubu into acceding to the illegal move of his (Abegunde) paymasters. It is quite a disservice for a supposed academia to resort to outright lies as a basis of pushing narrative, with the soul intent of foisting illegality on Osun people.
Every facts on ground point to an undisputable truth– Governor Adeleke is a man of peace and his leadership has saved Osun from sliding into a bigger crisis due to the activities of power mongers in Osun APC. Contrary to the narrative of Abegunde Oladipupo, there was no order of the Court of Appeal in the February 10, 2025 judgement that ordered the YES or NO officials to resume office.
Beyond this salient fact, there exist a judgement of the same Court of Appeal delivered on January 13, 2025, that dismissed the appeal filed against another judgement that sacked the YES or NO officials. It is quite disturbing that Abegunde Oladipupo ignored this fact just to sell his cheap and illogical narrative against Governor Adeleke.
Perhaps it would not be out of place to point out to the mischievous mind of Abegunde Oladipupo that the Supreme Court in NGERE & ANOR v. OKURUKET & ORS(2014) LPELR-22883(SC) affirmed the efficacy of a subsisting and valid judgement by holding that “… The judgement of a Court of competent jurisdiction subsists until upset on appeal. While the judgement subsists, every person affected by it or against whom an order is made must obey it even if it appears wrong. Judgements take effect immediately they are delivered and every Court has inherent power to enforce judgements at once. The enforcements on delivery can only be interrupted by a stay of execution provided there is an appeal.”
What the above clearly indicated is that where there exist a valid and subsisting judgement against parties, the judgement will continue to have effect unless it is stepped aside by a superior court. As things stand at the moment, the judgement of the Federal High Court, Osogbo, in suit no FHC/OS/CS/103/2022 delivered on November 30, 2022, which invalidated the October 15, 2022 local government elections, and affirmed by the Court of Appeal in CA/AK/226M/2024 is still subsisting.
This formed the basis of the judgement of the Osun State High Court, Ilesa, which ordered the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSSIEC) to go ahead with the February 22, 2025, local government elections in the state. One would have expected a supposed academia to take note of this fact and be guided by it but it appears that Abegunde Oladipupo allowed his political sentiment to becloud his sense of justice. That is unfortunate and only mirrows the injustice that students and the likes may be suffering from a character like Abegunde Oladipupo.
Contrary to his narrative, Governor Adeleke didn’t cripple the operations of local governments, he only asked the newly elected local government officials to stay away from the councils to avert clashes with the already court-sacked YES or NO officials in the interest of peace and recourse to the law, rather than violence. How is towing the path of peace now a bad thing in the imagination of Abegunde Oladipupo? If there is anyone crippling the local governments in Osun state, it is the APC disregarding a valid and subsisting judgement to try and forcefully seize the councils as usually seen in motor park garage in the past. This is why contempt of the court suit has been initiated against the usurper by the legally elected Chairmen in order to enforce the rule of law.
Obviously, Abegunde Oladipupo, just as those bankrolling him, wished for crisis in Osun to perfect their insidious move to foist evil on the state. Well, I don’t think Governor Adeleke owes him or his paymaster any apology for disappointing them by choosing peace and not violence.
It is even absurd that Abegunde Oladipupo tried to blame Governor Adeleke for the lawful decision of the labour unions to protect their members by staying away from councils until there is no possibility of crisis any longer. I’m sure that there are several instances where the university that Abegunde Oladipupo purportedly working will go on strike for whatever reason, and I don’t think it will make sense to blame the Ekiti State Government for what is purely labour decision, and which they are entitled to under the laws. Could Abegunde Oladipupo work in an environment that is at risk of violence at any given moment? Selfish people everywhere.
If Abegunde Oladipupo choose to be unaware, it will appropriate to point out to him that students in Osun state are not hindered in whatever to obtain local identification letter to process their admissions or any other purposes. Long before the crisis, the Osun State Government has digitalised most of the services required by citizens in tandem with modernization. For local government identification letters, many of the students requiring it have been obtaining it through the portal: https://stateoforigin.osunstate.gov.ng/ and so, Abegunde Oladipupo is either uniformed or deliberately mischievous.
If Abegunde Oladipupo is truly about Osun state, he should prevail on his paymasters to respect the people and not riding on IMPUNITY to impose themselves on them. Doing that will only destroy our democracy further and the implications will bring back the horrible memories of the dark days of military rule, which many gave their lives to resist.
Democracy is about the people and Osun APC must bring itself to accept this salient truth. Osun state under Governor Adeleke has made so much progress and contrary to the false impression of people like Abegunde Oladipupo, he’s alleviating the untold hardships of the people caused by the misgovernance of the past administration. Salaries are paid as at when due while the half salary owed by Abegunde Oladipupo’s party of interest were being paid by Governor Adeleke. Infrastructural renewal in Osun state under Governor Adeleke is unprecedented and that has warmed him deeply into the hearts of the people.
- Sarafa Ibrahim is a Special Assistant to the Osun State Governor
