The Federal Government has been urged to take urgent steps to end the current political crisis in Osun State, in view of its possible consequences for national security.
The request was made in Abuja yesterday by a right activist and lawyer, Pelumi Olajengbesi, who faulted the attempt by some individuals to forcefully take over local government offices in Osun State.
Olajengbesi said the forceful take over could be likened to a coup, adding that even if the actors had judgment in their favour, it was completely wrong to take the law into their hands under the guise of enforcing Court of Appeal judgment
He noted that there were procedures for judgment execution in the country, adding that the way the actors in the Osun political crisis acted was in breach of laws and usurpation of functions of those empowered to enforce court judgment.
Olajengbesi said by the development in Osun, democracy was facing a major challenge in the sense that disregard for laws had become the order of the day.
“You cannot, on your own, execute judgment. A deliberate attempt to commit coup is what is unfolding in Osun State.
“A judgment of the Court of Appeal is being deliberately mis- interpreted to justify their actions,” he said.
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Giving insight into what led to the local government takeover crisis, the lawyer said he had gone through the Court of Appeal judgment, but did not find anywhere where the appellate made consequential order for the reinstatement of the former local government chairmen.
He said the issue of reinstatement was not treated by the Court of Appeal on the reasoning by the court itself that the issue had been overtaken by events and thus become academic exercise.
He warned against using dishonesty and blackmail against the Court of Appeal judgment to set Osun on fire and forcefully takeover the political leadership in the state
He praised the governor of the state, Senator Ademola Adeleke, for asking the Peoples Democratic Party members in the state to stay away from the local governments, to avoid unnecessary blood shedding that might arise in the process.
The lawyer appealed to the people of the state to be peaceful and be vigilant in the face of provocation, saying events would soon show that Nigeria was not a banana republic.
