The Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has faulted Governor Ademola Adeleke’s plan to introduce a state-run Park Management System in motor parks across the state, describing the proposal as illegal and unconstitutional.
According to a statement signed by its director of media and information, Kola Olabisi, Adeleke’s directive to dismantle the existing garage and motor park leadership structure and replace it with a Park Management System backed by an executive order was a hasty and illegal response to the incident.
Olabisi said the governor lacked the constitutional authority to appoint the leadership of motor parks in the state, adding that such powers did not fall within the governor’s constitutional responsibilities.
The APC condemned the use of extrajudicial means to settle disputes, alleging that the Ile-Ife incident, in which Adeleke’s aide, Olalekan Oyeyemi, popularly known as ‘Emir’, was killed, confirmed its previous complaints about illegal arms and ammunition allegedly being in the hands of non-state actors.
Olabisi urged the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, to prevail on the Osun State Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Zungura, to urgently mop up illegally acquired arms and ammunition allegedly in the possession of political hoodlums.
He described the alleged proliferation of arms as a security risk to APC members, supporters, and residents of the state, while condemning the killing of Oyeyemi and the use of violence to resolve disputes.
The APC also called on the police to go after the suspected arrowheads, Nurudeen Alowonle and Olayemi Ojo, popularly known as ‘Sibi’, over the alleged organized killing of Emir, with a view to arresting, investigating, and prosecuting whoever is found culpable.
He said, “Apart from Emir being the victim, so many members of the NURTW and innocent passers-by were said to have been injured in the fracas, which led to them being rushed to various hospitals in the ancient town of Ile-Ife where they are receiving treatment.”
“While we frown at the use of extra-judicial means of settling scores by any person or group of persons for whatever reason, we make bold to state unequivocally that what happened in Ile-Ife that led to the avoidable killing of Emir was a confirmation of our persistent cries and complaints before the August 15, 2026, governorship election that there were many illegal arms and ammunition in the custody of non-state actors who have been terrorizing the APC members and supporters in particular, and the innocent inhabitants of the state in general.”
“We are enjoining the Inspector-General of Police to urgently prevail on the state Commissioner of Police on the need for his command to mop up the illegally acquired arms and ammunition that have found their way into the hands of political hoodlums who have constituted themselves into security risks in the state.”
“The situation whereby no fewer than 37 of our members and supporters were unjustifiably killed by the Accord thugs before the last governorship election was unhealthy to democratic endeavors, while it would also be recalled that 35 of our members and supporters were also killed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) hoodlums before the 2022 governorship election in Osun State.”
“The police should, without further delay, go after the suspected arrowheads, Nurudeen Alowonle and Olayemi Ojo, popularly known as ‘Sibi’, in the organized killing of Ajagungbade with a view to arresting, investigating, and prosecuting whoever is found culpable of the crime.”
“We would not fail to point out the hasty and illegal response of Governor Adeleke to the killing of his appointee; ordering the state government to dismantle the current garage motor park leadership structure and replacing same with a Park Management System which he intends to back up with an Executive Order.”
“Mr. Governor is hereby reminded that he is embarking on another illegal and unprofitable venture akin to his illegal use of obnoxious Executive Orders to send packing the legally elected APC local government council chairmen and councillors in 2022, which decision has now become an albatross of his administration to date.”
“The legal think tank of Governor Adeleke should inform him that he lacks the constitutional authority to appoint the leadership of the motor parks in the state as such does not fall under the purview of his power as the state governor.”
“Though while state governors sometimes intervene or attempt to manage parks or transport unions like the NURTW for security or administrative reasons, various court rulings in Nigeria have repeatedly declared direct state takeover or appointment of park managers as an unconstitutional infringement on local government powers.”
“Section 7(1) guarantees the system of local government by democratically elected local government councils across the country, while the same 1999 Constitution as amended assigns the direct administration and revenue collection of public motor parks to local authorities rather than the federal or state government,” the Party declared.