Tensions flared in Osun State on Saturday as the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) exchanged accusations over violent clashes that reportedly left several people injured in Boluwaduro Local Government Area.
The Osun State chapter of the APC claimed that five of its members were attacked and seriously wounded by hoodlums allegedly linked to the ruling PDP. The party said the incident occurred shortly after the Supreme Court delivered its judgment in the suit filed by the state’s Attorney General, Oluwole Jimi-Bada, against the Federal Government over withheld local government allocations.
The apex court had struck out the suit, ruling that the state lacked the legal capacity to initiate the action on behalf of its local government councils, which it described as constitutionally autonomous. The judgment, supported by six of the seven justices on the panel, has since been publicly interpreted differently by both major political parties in the state, with each claiming vindication.
In a statement issued by its chairman, Tajudeen Lawal, the APC accused Governor Ademola Adeleke and PDP leaders of “deliberately twisting” the judgment to incite unrest. The party alleged that misinformation spread by PDP figures – including the state chairman, Sunday Bisi – had contributed to rising tensions.
“It is important to inform the Inspector-General of Police and the NSA that PDP leaders, working in cahoots with the state government, have perfected plans to attack our members across local government areas,” the APC said. The statement further alleged that Saturday’s attack in Otan-Aiyegbaju was merely a “test run” of a broader plan to destabilise the opposition.
However, the PDP swiftly rejected the claims, counter-accusing the APC of unleashing violence on its members. The party’s Director of Media and Publicity, Oladele Bamiji, said a PDP member, Olugbenga Lawrence, had been attacked by APC-linked thugs and was “critically ill in hospital”.
“Boluwaduro has been a hotbed of APC violence in recent times,” Bamiji said. “The police were informed, but shockingly, our members were the ones arrested. This is a case of aggressors trying to hide their tracks.”
He insisted that neither the governor nor the PDP had any interest in instigating chaos. “We are the party in government. We will not allow the APC to make the state ungovernable,” he stated.
Responding to allegations that the PDP was distorting the Supreme Court judgment, Bamiji argued that the verdict aligned with earlier decisions affirming the legitimacy of the February 2025 local government elections conducted by the PDP-led government.
“Maybe APC leaders are reading the judgement upside down,” he said. “The Supreme Court’s position complements the Court of Appeal ruling of 13 June 2025, which upheld the validity of the February local government elections. There is no other judgment superseding that.”
The escalating rhetoric from both parties has raised concerns among residents about possible political unrest, prompting renewed calls for restraint as security agencies begin investigating the incidents.
