Politics
Tags:THE Osun State Government has rejected the accusation of a self-styled group, The Osun Masterminds, on the violent crisis that erupted in the state over the forceful takeover of local government secretariats by opposition politicians as a brutal attack on the truth, noting that the group’s attempt at revisionism is a blight on the state and its people who endured violent attacks from the APC.
In a statement signed by the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Oluomo Kolapo Alimi, the Osun State Government said the Masterminds betrayed its sentiment in the crisis by misrepresenting events, noting that the OSSIEC conducted the local Government elections in line with the provisions of the extant laws.
“Ordinarily, we would have ignored the positions of Masterminds given the character of its membership and political persuasions, but we find it necessary to clarify some false assumptions made by the group in its statement,” Oluomo Alimi noted in a statement.
“To start with, there was no ambiguities in the status of the YES or NO officials produced by the October 15, 2022, election held under the Gboyega Oyetola administration, because there subsist a valid judgement in the suit filed by the Action Peoples Party (APP) that nullified their election.
“Even the February 10, 2025 judgement of the Appeal Court that the Masterminds apparently tried to sell its narrative did not at any point order the reinstatement of the sacked officials. Shockingly, certain members of the Masterminds were on the various media platforms to defend and project this troubling assault on democracy, which goes to show the group’s partisanship and interest in the whole drama.”
Oluomo Alimi dismissed the group’s attack on the local Government election held in the state on February 22, 2025, as misleading, saying the Masterminds only echoed the misinformation of the APC on the election, further exposing it as nothing but a political tool of the opposition.
“Contrary to the Mastermind’s perverse reasoning on the local governments election, we make bold to say that the election complies with every laid down rules and laws of elections in the country. It is sickening that the Masterminds would critique an election that was held within 365 days notice as provided for by Electoral Act, 2022, yet, making a case for an election that held within 60 days of issuing notice of election, violating not just Sections 28 and 150 of the Electoral Act, 2022, but also provisions in the OSSIEC 2022 laws,” he noted.
“To make matters worse, the group which was neither an observer nor participated in the local Governments election of February 22, 2025, came up with the ludicrous opinion on the election without providing any proof to support such. It is clear that the Masterminds is playing the APC script to discredit the election, but the truth is, they have failed as the election was not only held in line with the laws but also conforms with the order of a court of competent jurisdiction.
“So, we advise the Masterminds to come out of its deceitful approach because the Osun people have seen through its scheme and can tell that the group is a tool of misinformation and political manipulations.
“Everyone can ascertain the effort of Governor Adeleke to avert the crisis, calling the attention of the world to the unfolding situations, and when his plea fell on deaf ears, he called on members of the PDP to avert further bloodshed.
“To show the extent of Masterminds partisanship, it could remember the name of Remi Abass, a member of the APC killed in the crisis, but totally avoided mentioning PDP members- Damilare Olumide and Oyebamiji Taiwo from Boripe LG, Abdullahi Olawale Ayanfe from Ola-Oluwa LG, Bakare Toheed from Ikire LG, and Hon. Kasali Adebayo and Mr. Ismaila Ibrahim from Ilesa West- who were killed by thugs suspected to belong to the APC.
“While we recognise the rights of every citizen to hold political beliefs, we however reject the antics of groups like the Masterminds, to manipulate the public for political purposes.
“The recent crisis in Osun was needless but an attempt by desperate politicians to foist themselves on the people, and partisan groups like the Masterminds, cannot twist this fact from the public.”
A.I
March 1, 2025
