By our Reporter
Violence had erupted yesterday in Osun State as the battle for the control of the local government secretariats between the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) turned bloody.
The mayhem was recorded in 15 out of the 30 council secretariats.
A Court of Appeal judgment was interpreted differently by the APC and the PDP.
According to the APC, all its reliefs were granted by the justices – meaning that the council chairmen sacked by the PDP government headed by Governor Ademola Adeleke are reinstated.
The sacked chairmen picked yesterday to return to office.
However, the government said the judgment was not declarative and did not reinstate the sacked chairmen.
The clashes were intense in Boripe, Atakunmosa West, Ede South, Isokan, Irewole, Ola-Oluwa, Ilesa East, Ilesa West, Osogbo, Olorunda, Ede North local governments
In Irewole, the reinstated chairman Remi Abass was seized in front of the secretariat and taken away. His body was brought back to the secretariat hours later, according to eyewitnesses.
In Ilesa, Executive Director of Project Implementation at the Federal Housing Authority (FHA), Remi Omowaiye came under ambush with his car riddled with bullets. He was lucky to escape unhurt. His driver and police orderly were injured.
To curtail the mayhem, Governor Adeleke ordered residents to keep away from the councils.
Prominent monarchs appealed for calm, urging the two sides in the dispute to accord priority to peace.
The police said the circumstances surrounding the mayhem were being investigated.
The State caucus in the National Assembly led by Bamidele Salam urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene.
Adeleke and Oyetola, who is the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy have been at loggerheads over the reinstatement verdict of the Court of Appeal.
The governor had insisted that the sacked council chairmen cannot return to office, citing security reasons.
However, Oyetola said the Appeal Court judgment would be implemented through the instruments of law. He added that the council executives should resume yesterday.
Two persons were shot in Boripe local government after the reinstated council executives resumed office.
There was jubilation, following the take-over of the secretariat. But on their way home, they clashed with PDP members who laid ambush for them.
