Timi Frank accuses Oyetola, APC of destabilizing Osun, calls on Tinubu to intervene

Former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Timi Frank, has called on President Bola Tinubu to intervene in the escalating crisis in Osun State, urging him to rein in the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, ex-Governor Gboyega Oyetola, and APC loyalists to restore peace.

In a statement released in Abuja on Monday, Frank emphasized the urgent need for presidential intervention following violent clashes between APC and PDP supporters over control of local government areas. Reports indicate that the violence has claimed several lives.

The unrest erupted after a Court of Appeal ruling was interpreted differently by both parties, leading to disputes between Governor Ademola Adeleke and Oyetola regarding the alleged reinstatement of sacked council chairmen.

While Adeleke insists that the former chairmen cannot return due to security concerns, Oyetola argues that the court’s judgment must be enforced through legal channels.

Frank accused Oyetola of deliberately fueling instability to make Osun State ungovernable, thereby creating grounds for a state of emergency. He pointed to comments made by APC National Secretary, Dr. Ajibola Basiru, who suggested on live television that the Federal Government should consider declaring a state of emergency to curb the violence.

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“Our intelligence reveals that Oyetola’s plan is to orchestrate the crisis, allowing the Federal Government to intervene and impose emergency rule. Their ultimate goal is to derail Governor Adeleke’s administration, knowing well that he remains the popular choice of the people,” Frank asserted.

He further criticized Tinubu’s silence on the crisis, despite his roots in Osun State, warning that both the president and Oyetola would be held accountable if the situation worsens.

“President Tinubu must break his silence. Osun is his home state, but it is being governed by the PDP through the people’s mandate. If this crisis escalates further, both he and Oyetola will bear the responsibility for plunging the state into chaos,” Frank warned.

As an ambassador for the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) to East Africa and the Middle East, Frank called on Nigerians to rise against what he termed an “impunity-driven attempt by APC to dominate through force rather than democratic means.”

“We urge all well-meaning Nigerians to speak up against this blatant abuse of power. What is happening in Osun is nothing short of dictatorship and an attempt to hijack the state outside of democratic norms,” he said.

Encouraging Osun residents to resist intimidation, Frank praised Governor Adeleke’s developmental strides within his two-year tenure, contrasting them with Oyetola’s lack of impactful projects during his governorship.

“Oyetola ruled for four years without any major developmental achievement, whereas Adeleke, in just two years, has transformed Osun. The people must stand with him and reject APC’s desperation to take the state by force,” Frank added.

Frank concluded by urging citizens to defend democracy in Osun, emphasizing that APC’s tactics of violence and coercion should not override the will of the people.