Osun State Government has rejected the security advice from the Nigeria Police which advised for the suspension of the local government election planned for Saturday (today).
The government, in a statement signed by Kolapo Alimi, the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment on Friday, stated that the grounds for rejecting the advice were based on the rule of law and aversion to police partisanship.
Acknowledging the security advice, the state government revealed that it reviewed the advice and came to the conclusion that the proposal from the force headquarters was biased, partisan, and in contravention of democratic tenets.
The government said, “The pretense of the service to be serving the public good while actually promoting the illegality of the APC reinforces our rejection of a Greek gift.
“From the beginning of this face off, the police has breached best practices by its open support for the All Progressive Congress, a party that is pushing for illegality through a non-existing court order. The whole world knows how the police actively aided the APC to enforce a reinstatement order that was never issued by any court of law.
“A law enforcement agency has suddenly become a partisan wing of a political party, the APC, thereby losing all toga of a fair law agency. The negative role of the police to ignite the current face off made its advice a poison chocolate.
“Beyond the above, we also call the attention of the police to the court judgment of today. It contains three orders which affirm vacancies in Osun councils by authenticating the sacking of the APC council chieftains directed the police and other security agencies to provide security for the election and gave go ahead to fresh LG elections by Saturday 22nd.”
The government also accused the police of pursuing partisan interests rather than obeying court order and working against the rule of law.
“Instead of the police to obey court order, the service is regrettably pursuing its partisan line by actively working against rule of law as espoused by today’s court ruling.
“If the police chose to disobey court orders, the Osun State government will not go against rule of law, hence the decision of the state government to support the state electoral commission to conduct a credible free and fair elections tomorrow.
“We thank the police for their advice. We respectfully turned down the request while we urged Osun voters to peacefully exercise their voting rights on Saturday,” it stated.
The Nigeria Police had on Friday issued a statement calling for the suspension of the local government elections in the state based in credible intelligence obtained.
In the statement by Force Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, the Police said, “the credible intelligence indicating a high likelihood of violence and significant security threats should the planned Local Government elections proceed in Osun State.
“These reports gathered from joint intelligence gathering reveal that various groups, including political elements and other interest parties, are mobilizing to instigate unrest, disrupt public peace, and undermine the democratic order.”
The Nigeria Police also urged the Osun State Government to consider the legal implication of going ahead with today’s local government poll.
An Osun State High Court sitting in Ilesa had also on Friday gave the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission, OSSIEC, the go ahead to conduct today’s election.
Meanwhile, a democracy advance group, Osun Democratic Coalition has called the attention of the public to an alleged clandestine plot by the Nigeria Police Force to plunge Osun into anarchy through targeted killings and maiming of Osun people.
Blaming the Nigeria Police for any violence during the poll, the group revealed that credible reports at its disposal had it that hundreds of Police Mobile Force personnel had been distributed across the state to foment trouble by launching indiscriminate attacks on PDP members.
In a statement signed by Yeken Inaolaji, its Coordinator, Osun Democratic Coalition disclosed that, “We have credible reports that the police through MOPOl officers are sent to destabilize Osun state. They will attack innocent people, all to give the impression of a state in crisis.
“If you see bloodshed this Saturday, we call on the public to hold the police responsible. Hold the police accountable for any killing and maiming this Saturday.
“Their ultimate target is to escalate the crisis to support their agenda to declare a state of emergency. Osun people have seen through the evil plot. We reject anti- democratic elements.
“The police authorities should leave Osun alone. We are peaceful people. Our state is one of the most peaceful states in Nigeria. We support our dear state governor, a man of good governance.”