By Sarafa Ibrahim
Over the last few weeks, Osun State has witnessed an alarming level of militarization by forces allegedly loyal to the defeated former governor, Gboyega Oyetola. This aggressive show of force is a desperate attempt to hijack control of local governments through the back door, trampling on the rights of citizens in the process.
The All Progressives Congress has taken this desperation to deadly heights, resorting to violence, shooting, and even killing innocent citizens. This raises a fundamental question: If you are so desperate to lead a people, why kill them?
Everywhere you go in Osogbo and beyond, you are met with an overwhelming presence of police officers, causing unnecessary traffic and disrupting daily life. Roads that should take minutes to navigate now take hours due to roadblocks and intimidation tactics.
In APC’s mind, this show of force is a way to intimidate Governor Adeleke that they have “federal might.” But sadly, one thing is clear: these officers cannot stop or intimidate Governor Adeleke as he continues to go about his duty of delivering the dividends of democracy.
Instead, it is the ordinary people in APC, PDP, Labour, APP and citizens who belong to no political parties who are suffering the brunt of this reckless display of power. Businesses are affected, commuters are frustrated, and the general peace of the state is being disrupted, all because one man and his party refuse to accept their defeat.
This situation reminds me of a well-known story about two women fighting over a child. When the Kabiyesi intervened, he proposed cutting the child in half to give each woman an equal share. One woman, representing the APC, agreed to cutting the child in half, showing that she cared more about claiming victory than about the child’s well-being. The other woman, representing PDP, pleaded for the child’s life, saying she would rather temporarily lose custody than see the child divided in half.
This is precisely the difference in leadership we see in Osun today. Governor Ademola Adeleke, unlike APC, values the lives of Osun’s people above political control. Instead of engaging in a violent confrontation over local government offices, he wisely instructed the newly elected chairmen to work remotely. The goal is clear: when the legal process is concluded, PDP will take over the secretariats without shedding innocent blood.
On the other hand, APC has shown that it does not mind burning, killing, and putting the lives of every citizen and resident of Osun at risk, all for power. But this brings us back to the fundamental question: Who will Oyetola and APC govern if they destroy the very people they claim to want to serve?
The people of Osun must remain vigilant. We cannot allow our state to be plunged into chaos by a party that has repeatedly shown contempt for democracy, the rule of law, and human life. Power belongs to the people, and no amount of intimidation or federal might can erase their will.
Governor Adeleke is working day and night to ensure Osun moves forward, while APC is busy trying to drag the state backward with violence. The people of Osun must make a choice: to stand for peace, democracy, and progress or allow a defeated party to push the state into anarchy. The answer is clear
