January 06, (THEWILL) — The Osun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called on Nigerians and the international community to hold the Nigeria Police Force responsible for any breakdown of law and order in the state.
The party alleged that the police have abandoned their role of maintaining peace by enabling an “illegal takeover” of local government councils by individuals unknown to the law.
In a statement signed by the State Chairman, Hon. Sunday Bisi, the PDP expressed grave concern over the conduct of the police since the local government crisis erupted in February 2025.
Hon. Bisi argued that the force has betrayed its constitutional mandate and lost its ability to maintain order due to “open partisanship.”
The Chairman accused the police of aiding a scheme to foist individuals with no legal claims onto the councils, making grassroots governance impossible.
He warned that the ongoing impasse is a direct assault on the rights of the people to choose their leaders and vowed that it would be “vehemently resisted.”
“Policing, anywhere, is about safeguarding law and order, but the experience in Osun State with the Nigeria Police has been quite bizarre since February 2025,” Hon. Bisi noted.
“The initial excuse used to justify guarding people already sacked by the courts was a one-sided advisory from the Attorney-General of the Federation. This advisory ignored the judgment in the suit filed by the Action Peoples Party (APP), which invalidated the ‘YES or NO’ election—a decision later affirmed by two Appeal Court rulings.”
He further questioned the legal basis for current police actions, stating, “The advisory plainly indicated that the tenure of those officials terminates in October 2025. So, on what basis are the police allowing them access to the councils today when NULGE officials resumed work? As of today, these officials have no legal standing to be anywhere near the local government secretariats.”
Hon. Bisi emphasized that the mere filing of a suit for tenure elongation does not confer legal benefits.
He accused the opposing party of using delay tactics by refusing to serve court processes on defendants, knowing that legal precedents suggest the suit will fail.
The PDP Chairman urged the police to refrain from acting as an “arm of the APC” and to commit to activities that promote stability. He clarified that PDP members have stayed away from council secretariats out of respect for law enforcement directives, not cowardice.
“If the Nigeria Police is aiding the disregard for its own directive, it is simply encouraging disorderliness. Forcefully taking over power is alien to democracy,” he stressed.
“As a law-abiding party, we will not hesitate to employ every legal means, including petitioning the international community, if this unprofessional conduct continues. Our interest remains that the rule of law must prevail, not the rule of gangsterism
Amos Okioma is a Correspondent at THEWILL
