Two civil society organisations in Osun State, the Initiative for Local Government Development (ILGD) and the Centre for Justice and Community Advocacy (CJCA), have called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to consider declaring a state of emergency in the state over what they described as persistent disregard for court orders relating to local government administration.
The groups made the call on Friday during a press conference held at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Press Centre in Osogbo, the Osun State capital. They expressed concern over what they termed an ongoing constitutional crisis allegedly fuelled by the state government’s refusal to comply with valid judicial pronouncements on local government matters.
Reading the joint address on behalf of the organisations, Comrade Juliet Kanyinsola Adebayo, alongside Faith Ayomide Adeniyi and Opeyemi Amusan, accused the Osun State Government of disobeying lawful court orders concerning the administration and leadership of local governments in the state. They argued that such actions undermine the rule of law and threaten democratic governance at the grassroots level.
According to the groups, continued defiance of court rulings has created confusion in local government administration, stalled development at the council level, and eroded public confidence in democratic institutions. They warned that if left unchecked, the situation could degenerate further and set a dangerous precedent for other states.
The civil society organisations called on President Tinubu, as the custodian of the Constitution, to intervene decisively to protect the rule of law. They said a state of emergency, if declared, should be aimed at restoring constitutional order, ensuring compliance with court judgments, and safeguarding democratic governance in Osun State.
The groups also appealed to relevant federal institutions, including the National Assembly and the judiciary, to closely monitor developments in Osun and take necessary steps to prevent what they described as a breakdown of constitutional governance at the local government level.