The Coalition of Civil Society Organizations for Good Governance has strongly condemned the statements made by one Prince Oyelude Oladele, Director-General of the so-called Advocacy For Local Government Autonomy in Nigeria (ALGAN).
Oyelude, a well-known member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and a loyalist of the defeated former Governor of Osun State, Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola, has been identified as a key figure behind the ongoing crisis in the state.
The coalition expressed dismay at Oyelude’s unfounded allegations against the leadership of the National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) in Osun State, accusing them of partisanship.
“The group in a statement by its Secretary General, Comrade Olalekan Johnson described his statements as not only baseless but also an attempt to distort the reality of the controversial ruling of the Court of Appeal regarding local government administration in Osun State.
According to the coalition, Prince Oyelude is nothing more than a political opportunist with no history of activism or involvement in the struggle for local government autonomy in Nigeria. His sudden emergence as the purported leader of an obscure group, ALGAN, is suspicious and reeks of political manoeuvring aimed at misleading the public.
The coalition further asserted that NULGE’s position has been vindicated by recent events, particularly the forceful occupation of local government secretariats in some parts of the state by former APC chairmen, who were aided by political thugs and compromised security agents. These violent intrusions, which have disrupted the peace of Osun State, directly contradict Oyelude’s deceptive claims.
The statement also emphasized that at no point did the Court of Appeal order the reinstatement of these APC-backed former local government officials. Rather, these imposters have, over the past few days, unlawfully invaded local government offices with armed thugs, perpetrating violence against innocent citizens, a fact confirmed by Osun State NULGE.
The coalition warned Oyelude and his co-travellers that no amount of falsehoods or propaganda will shield Osun APC and its leaders from facing appropriate redress for their roles in instigating violence.
The statement noted that Oyelude must be hallucinating to assume that former local government administrators, whose tenure has been constitutionally terminated, have the authority to dictate to civil servants performing their lawful duties.
Finally, the coalition called on the good people of Osun State to resist, with every legitimate means, any attempt by these imposters to destabilize the state. They urged citizens to turn out in large numbers on Saturday, 22nd February 2025, to elect a new set of democratic leaders for their respective local governments, thereby reaffirming their commitment to the rule of law and good governance.
The Coalition of Civil Society Organizations for Good Governance reaffirmed its commitment to defending democratic principles and ensuring that Osun State remains peaceful and progressive despite the desperate antics of political jobbers like Oyelude Oladele.
