The All Progressives Congress, APC in Osun State has condemned the nullification of the selection process that produced Oba Adegboyega Famodun as the Owa of Igbajo by Governor Ademola Adeleke.
In a statement by the Osun APC, Tajudeen Lawal, the party also described the government’s action as an abuse of the governor’s executive power.
Governor Adeleke, through an Executive Order issued on November 27, 2022, directed the Owa of Igbajoland, Oba Famodun and two other traditional rulers appointed by former governor Adegboyega Oyetola to step aside from their palaces.
Recall that the Osun State Government in a White Paper report on Thursday, cancelled the selection processes that produced three Osun monarchs, the Aree of Iree, Akirun of Ikinrun and Owa of Igbajo.
The state government also directed that the selection processes be restarted.
“It is strange that Governor Adeleke, notwithstanding the pendency of the suit, keeps hounding, humiliating, oppressing, and denying Oba Famodun his rights, said the APC in the statement
“The purported nullification of the process that produced the Owa of Igbajoland by the governor is an aberration, legal absurdity with a metaphorical foot of clay whose imminent fall would be like that of a pack of cards.
“The needless intervention of Adeleke with his resultant nullification of the selection process that produced Oba Gboyega Famodun as the Owa of Igbajoland is a pungent acting of a meddlesome interloper in a subsisting matter in the court of law by the incompetent and Governor-by-proxy Ademola Adeleke.
“The approach of Governor Adeleke on the issue at stake flagrantly offends the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which expressly allows for separation of powers among the Executive, the Legislature and the Judiciary.
“If this is what would be the outcome of his obnoxious Executive Order on the Obaship stuff, why did it take Adeleke so long a time to come up with such trash which is a confirmation of his incompetence in the public office as the governor of a complex state like Osun?
“The fact remains that the nullification of the Obaship selection process which followed a due process can neither sit nor stand because it is a product of political vindictiveness”, Lawal stated.
Famodun before his selection as Owa of Igbajo was a former Chairman of the APC in the state.
In the same vein, the Ruling Houses in Iree, Boripe local government area of the state have frowned at the recent white paper on Aree of Iree stool.
They also urged the people of the town to remain calm in the face of alleged provocation while insisting that the white paper cannot stand the test of time in the face of the law.
The ruling houses alleged that it was a double standard and absurdity to the judiciary for the state government to adjudicate on a matter that is already before the court of law.
Secretary of the ruling houses in Iree, Gbenga Olatunji made this known while reacting to the Osun State Government White Paper which cancelled the process leading to the selection of an Aree for the town.
He said, “The government has robbed mud on the face of the judiciary with such proclamation when a competent court of jurisdictions has already reserved judgment on the same subject matter. It further shows that they want to create an artificial crisis in Iree community.
“If not for the JUSUN strike, the court would have delivered judgment on December 14th, 2023, we rejected the white paper and we strongly believe in the judiciary to do justice on the throne, it is just a question of time, that charade cannot stand, but we appeal to our people especially the ruling houses to remain calm and law-abiding.”
A former Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Adebayo Adeleke also condemned the white paper, describing it as an effort in futility.
He alleged that Governor Ademola Adeleke only validated his ignorance of the law with respect to the kingship process.
“If Ademola Adeleke was rightly advised, he would have understood that such a pronouncement is a contempt of court and double standard on a matter that parties have called witnesses and filed written addresses.
“It is a rape of the value and sacredness of the Judiciary. Only in Osun will a government truncate a court process.”
