The crisis in Osun State escalated yesterday as sacked local government chairmen and councillors resumed at various councils, defying Governor Ademola Adeleke’s shutdown order.

The governor had ordered the closure of the councils on Monday following violent clashes between supporters of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC), which left six people dead.

The chairmen, elected during former Governor Adegboyega Oyetola’s tenure, were removed by Adeleke, triggering a legal battle. A recent Court of Appeal ruling reinstated them, prompting their attempted return on Monday, which led to violent resistance from PDP members.

Defying the governor’s directive, some of the sacked chairmen stormed their respective council secretariats on Wednesday. Reports from various councils, including Ilesa West, Obokun, Ejigbo, Iwo, Ife Central, Ife East, and Ede, indicated stiff resistance from PDP members.

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Meanwhile, Governor Adeleke has also accused the IGP of colluding with the APC to enforce what he described as an “illegal” court order. Speaking to British diplomats led by Deputy High Commissioner Jonny Baxter, he alleged that security forces aided the APC in seizing control of the councils.

However, APC chieftain Remi Omowaiye countered the claims, accusing Adeleke of instigating the crisis. “The court ruling was clear. Our people were supposed to resume at the councils, but PDP thugs resisted them,” he said in a televised interview.

Reacting to the development, the House of Representatives has urged Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun and the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Adeola Ajayi, to restore order in the state. The House also resolved to set up an ad-hoc committee to investigate the crisis and report back within a week.

At Tuesday’s plenary, lawmakers expressed concerns over the February 17 violence, which erupted when sacked council officials attempted to reclaim their offices. The motion, sponsored by Rep. Bamidele Salam (PDP, Osun) and seven other lawmakers, noted that Governor Adeleke had warned of a security threat on February 16 but violence still broke out. The lawmakers warned that allowing political actors to resort to self-help could set a dangerous precedent.

In a related development, the Osun State House of Assembly condemned the APC chairmen’s forceful takeover of the councils and called on President Bola Tinubu to intervene. Speaker Adewale Egbedun accused security agents of enabling the APC’s actions and urged the IGP to act impartially.