Don’t accept vehicle donation from APC chairmen, Osun tells police

The Osun State Government has warned the Nigeria Police Force against accepting vehicles from local government chairmen elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, insisting that those currently managing council areas lack a valid mandate to remain in office.

The government described the proposed donation of security vehicles as a “poisoned gift with malicious, mischievous, and harmful intentions,” urging the police to reject the gesture in order to safeguard the integrity and reputation of the law enforcement agency.

This position was contained in a statement signed by the state Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, a copy of which was obtained in Osogbo on Friday.

Online reports that the Osun State chapter of the APC had earlier announced that local government chairmen in the state would proceed with plans to donate operational vehicles to the police to enhance security operations.

The APC, in a statement signed by its spokesperson, Kola Olabisi, criticised the ruling party in the state and Governor Ademola Adeleke, stating that the protection of lives and property should take precedence over political considerations.

The party argued that support for security agencies should not be politicised, maintaining that providing logistical assistance to the police was necessary to combat crime effectively.

However, the Osun State Government insisted that the donation should be rejected, condemning what it described as the politicisation of security matters by the APC.

According to the government, the individuals currently occupying local government offices under the APC lack legal backing, as the matter of their tenure remains subject to ongoing litigation.

“The so-called APC council executives, who have imposed themselves on the local governments without any legal basis, should not be seen as legitimate authorities providing support to security agencies,” the statement read.

The government further noted that the legal dispute over the tenure of the chairmen is already before the courts, with judgments expected on May 12 and May 21, 2026.

It urged the state Commissioner of Police to uphold the neutrality of the force and avoid actions that could compromise its institutional credibility.

The government also called on the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to intervene by directing officers in the Osun State Command to reject the vehicles pending the outcome of the court rulings.

The dispute over control of local government councils in the state stems from conflicting claims by chairmen elected during the February 22, 2025, local government election conducted under Governor Ademola Adeleke’s administration and those elected on the platform of the APC in the October 15, 2022, election held during the tenure of former governor Adegboyega Oyetola.

Although the APC-backed chairmen are currently administering the councils, the parties remain before different courts seeking judicial validation of their respective positions

Culled from punch