Adeleke’s visit to Bisi Akande: Peace move or political manoeuvre?

By Deborah Oladejo, Osogbo

Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke’s recent visit to ex-governor and pioneer National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Bisi Akande, amid the ongoing local government crisis in the state has raised dust within political circles.

The visit has stirred controversy about the real motive behind the meeting with the state government, saying it is an attempt to resolve the lingering local government crisis just as others consider the move a clever political manoeuvre.

While the Governor’s spokesperson, Mallam Olawale Rasheed, emphasised that the visit was part of a statewide consultation regarding the controversies over local government leadership, rumours are rife that Adeleke may be seeking to join the APC or trying to secure political support from Chief Akande.

Recall that the crisis started in October 2022 following the conduct of council elections held in the twilight of Governor Adegboyega Oyetola’s tenure. The court, however, nullified the election under his successor, Governor Adeleke. The APC appealed the matter at the Appeal Court sitting in Akure, and on February 10, 2025, delivered its judgement. However, while the APC claims the appellate court reinstated its council chairmen and councillors, the PDP contends the higher court never made such a pronouncement.

The purportedly reinstated APC council chairmen and councillors took over control of local government secretariats, declaring that there are no vacancies. But the PDP’s interpretation of the judgement was that there are vacancies in the councils.

The crisis turned deadly when the APC took over the control of council secretariats, leading to the killing of one of the reinstated local government council chairmen, Hon. Remi Abass, in Ikire and other members of the opposition and ruling party. Governor Adeleke also raised the alarm, claiming that about six members of PDP lost their lives in the crisis.

On February 21st, 2025, the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSSIEC) got an order from the State High Court sitting in Ilesha to conduct another election for the “vacant positions” of local government chairmen and councillors across the councils. The PDP candidates won all the seats in the election conducted on 22 February but boycotted by other political parties.

However, with the APC takeover of control of the council secretariats, the governor directed the newly elected PDP council officials to stay away from the secretariats.

Contestation between the PDP and APC on who controls the local government secretariat have continued to generate tension in the state with a charge to political gladiators to tread softly and avoid any act capable of truncating the existing peace in the state.

Meanwhile, on March 4, 2025, Governor Ademola Adeleke paid a visit to the pioneer National Chairman of the APC, Chief Akande. The visit, which lasted two hours, took place at Chief Akande’s Ibadan residence and was the first step in the Governor’s briefing program aimed at updating key leaders on the local government situation. He emphasised the importance of unity and collaboration in resolving the crisis, calling on all parties to avoid self-help measures that could escalate tensions and result in further violence. He maintains that the visit to Chief Akande was part of a broader statewide consultation process.

However, the APC accused Adeleke of resorting to under-the-table arrangements, asserting that Chief Akande’s loyalty lies with his party and the people of Osun State. The APC, through its Director of Media and Information, Chief Kola Olabisi, argued that the governor should focus on resolving the local government crisis through the appropriate legal channels.

On the other hand, Osun PDP criticised the APC’s reaction, calling their comments “vituperations of the vampire.” The state chairman of PDP, Hon. Sunday Bisi, noted that the governor is reaching out to all shades of opinion and that his agenda was before the crisis to engage men and women of goodwill in salvaging the state from further conflict.

Whether Governor Adeleke’s visit to the APC chieftain was a genuine peace move or a clever political manoeuvre to get a soft landing as being speculated remains to be seen through the turn of events in the weeks ahead.