Local Govt Crisis: Governor Adeleke Should Have Averted The Killing, Says Ex-Osun Commissioner, Banik

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State and former Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Prince Adebayo Adeleke (Banik), has stated that the killing during the resumption of duties by the reinstated local government chairmen could have been averted.

The former commissioner, Banik, made this assertion in a statement while participating in the 8th media parley

organized by the Osun Online Publishers Association (OOPA). The event, themed "Digging Into Politics and Governance", was held on Tuesday, April 8, 2025, at the association's secretariat in Ajegunle, Osogbo, the Osun State capital.

Reflecting on the crisis, Banik stated: "Governor Adeleke should have averted this heinous act. On the day of the resumption, no elections had been conducted yet. If we recall, the question remains: What exactly caused the crisis?

The reinstated chairmen were bound to resume legally, while those whose elections had not been conducted mobilized thugs to the local government secretariat. That was the beginning of the breakdown."

As a result of the standoff, Osun and Nigeria at large lost a valuable person, Hon. Remi Abas, who was at the forefront of the incident at the secretariat.

Banik added, "On the day Governor Adeleke was inaugurated as the state's competent authority to serve the people, he took an oath to protect lives and property. This tragedy could have been avoided."

Reacting to the viral video showing the Governor’s absence during the Sallah prayer,

Prince Adebayo Adeleke said, "We didn’t see our Governor. His body language has shown he is a Christian. We've seen him rolling on the floor in a white garment church. Normally, that shouldn't be a big deal—but because he’s the Governor of our dear state, he becomes a figure young people look up to. We don't want a situation where our youth start saying, ‘As long as I can dance, I can become a governor.’”

"I don’t want to say too much. They know how to twist the truth to suit their own narrative. Some people have claimed I’ve been in exile, that I ran to Ghana, or that I was arrested. They never seem to have anything positive to say when it comes to Banik."