Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, on Tuesday paid a visit to elder statesman and former governor of the state, Chief Bisi Akande, at his Ibadan residence to kickstart his statewide briefing of stakeholders on the recent controversies over local government leadership in the state.
According to a statement made available to newsmen in Osogbo by the governor’s spokesperson, Mallam Olawale Rasheed, Adeleke is scheduled to visit and update key leaders of thought on the development in a special briefing session with the state Council of Traditional Rulers on Thursday.
The statement, however, stated, “Today, Governor Adeleke visited elder statesman and former governor of the state, Chief Bisi Akande, at his Ibadan residence to kickstart the briefing programme.”
“The Governor, accompanied by top state officials, also discussed pressing state and national issues with the former chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC).”
“On the local government issue, the Governor narrated the position of the state government over recent legal controversies and restated his commitment to the rule of law for the resolution of the issues.”
“According to the Governor, there is a need for all stakeholders to avoid resorting to self-help to avoid further loss of lives and properties, repeating his earlier calls on parties to return to court for ventilation of their viewpoints.”
“On national politics, the Governor appreciated the consensus-building roles of Chief Akande in the stabilisation of the national leadership, declaring that Osun state is proud of the elder statesman.”
“The Governor further conveys the support of the Osun state government for the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, informing the elder statesman that the state government enjoys a warm partnership with the Federal Government across all sectors.”
“Our father, we are here to pay homage to you as my predecessor and as an elder statesman. I am also going round to brief our leaders on recent developments in our dear state.”
“Your relationship with the Adeleke family dates back to my late Dad. I chose to start the consultation with this visit,” the Governor noted.
Responding, the statement quoted Chief Akande as commending the Governor for the visit, describing the development as a welcome one despite differences in political affiliations.
Chief Akande said he had listened to the presentations from the delegations even as he urged the continued upholding of peace and the rule of law for the collective benefit of the state.
The former Governor said bloodshed in the name of politics is unacceptable, calling on all parties to submit to the rule of law and avoid self-help.
The governor and Chief Akande later held a two-hour-long closed-door meeting.
Meanwhile, in a separate statement by the OSUN state chapter of the All Progressive Congress (APC), its spokesperson, Chief Kola Olabisi, berated Governor Adeleke for visiting Chief Bisi Akande, former state governor and ex-national chairman of the APC.
The party accused the governor of apparently begging the distinguished democrat for a soft landing on the prevailing political logjam on the reinstated council chairmen and councillors in the state.
The statement read: “It was strange that Governor Adeleke and his cohorts could find a way to Pa Akande’s residence after the Peoples Democratic Party’s thugs, acting on the governor’s body language, had killed one of the reinstated local government council chairmen of Chief Akande’s party, Hon Remi Abass, in Ikire and other members of the opposition party in other parts of the state a few days ago.”
“We want to impress it on Governor Adeleke and his co-travellers that Pa Akande is a democrat and no amount of under-the-table arrangement would make the former governor of the state work against the interest of his party.”
“Does Governor Adeleke want Pa Akande to be praising him for being instrumental to the killing of the chieftain and members of his party?”
“We want to believe that there are knowledgeable political lieutenants of Governor Adeleke who should guide him aright that the proper place for him to go if at all he has any case for redress after the Akure verdict of 10 February 2025, is the Supreme Court.”
“It does not add up that a governor whose directive resulted in the killings of our members and others across the state could think he could fool the people again through the back door.”
“The walkabout of Governor Adeleke and his acolytes to Pa Akande pointed to the fact that they have lost the game irredeemably.”
“If we may ask, why is Governor Adeleke afraid of approaching the Supreme Court for redress if indeed he is convinced that he has a genuine case?”
“We find it difficult to find a rationale where a robber would be pleading with the owner of an item to allow him to steal his property. It is a mirage that will never come to reality.”
“Our golden advice to the troubled Governor Adeleke is that he should partner with the reinstated council chairmen and councillors to ensure the dividend of democracy cuts across the length and breadth of the state,” he concluded.
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