OSOGBO, Nigeria – The political rivalry between Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, and the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state has reached new heights, with both sides clashing over who has the authority to collect market taxes in local government areas.
The dispute, which has been ongoing since February, has escalated with both parties accusing each other of illegal actions, and even threatening arrests.
In a statement released on Sunday, April 13, 2025, Governor Adeleke instructed the PDP-elected chairmen and councillors, who were elected in February, to refrain from reporting to work.
He also urged the Osun State Commissioner of Police to stop what he described as illegal tax collection by the APC-elected council chairmen, accusing them of forging documents to collect money from traders.
Adeleke specifically cited the case of Boripe Local Government, where he claimed that the APC chairman set up a revenue taskforce, a move he argued was against the law.
According to Adeleke’s spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, the governor alleged that the APC council chairmen were disrespecting the court’s decision, particularly since the APC had filed an appeal concerning their removal from office.
Adeleke demanded that the police investigate those involved in faking council documents, issuing illegal revenue receipts, and charging traders with unlawful fees.
In response, the APC accused the state government of violating the Constitution and interfering with the lawful duties of the reinstated local government officials.
APC spokesperson, Kola Olabisi, insisted that the chairmen and councillors, reinstated by a Court of Appeal ruling on February 10, were legally empowered to oversee the markets.
He accused Adeleke’s government of trying to prevent the chairmen from returning to their duties, which, according to the APC, were well within their constitutional rights.
Olabisi also pointed out that the APC chairmen had the right to supervise the markets and that Adeleke’s ongoing resistance to the court’s ruling was improper.
He further criticized the governor for not taking the matter to the Supreme Court if he was dissatisfied with the appeal court’s decision.
“The governor should act decently and honourably, rather than knocking his head on the wall, pacing maniacally like a bull in a china shop,” Olabisi said in his statement.
Governor Adeleke, however, argued that the APC chairmen were occupying local government offices illegally and accused them of extorting money from the public.
“The same illegal taskforce officials have begun issuing fake documents like local government Identification letters, market revenue receipts, etc.,” he said.
Adeleke added that such actions were punishable under the law, and warned that anyone caught in the act would face the full force of the law.
