Osun: NANS urges President Tinubu, Southwest governors to wade into crisis

…cautions clashes taking semblance of ‘Operation-Wet-E’

Laide Raheem, Abeokuta

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to wade into the political crisis rocking Osun State to forestall anarchy.

NANS made this call in a statement signed by the Clerk of the Senate, NANS National Headquarters, Abdul-Yekinn Odunayo, on Tuesday, in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, noting that the crisis which had claimed four lives should be nibbed in the bud before it festers.

Osun has been embroiled in crisis over the purported resumption noof the All Progressives Congress (APC) local government chairmen sacked by Governor Ademola Adeleke.

The crisis is reported to have claimed four lives, including a former LG chairman, as supporters of PDP and APC clashed.

Meanwhile, the student body in the statement observed that Osun is one of the states in the Federation that is politically volatile, urging President Tinubu not to fold his arms and allow the state to be engulfed in skirmishes because of politics.

Odunayo posited that it would be highly disastrous, if the state that is still battling with pockets of communal clashes becomes a battle ground between the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (Party).

He expressed concerns that the political crisis in Osun is gradually taking the semblance of the ‘Operation-Wet-E’ of the Wild-wild West Region in the 60’s, reiterating that President Tinubu must do everything in his capacity to quench the fire of discord.

NANS added that peace must be given priority, while political solutions must be sought to end the confrontation which is likely to escalate if the president fails to respond accordingly.

Odunayo who said that the scars and tell-tales of the Ife-Modakeke communal clashes in the late 90’s and early years 2000 are still conspicuous and resonate in the memory of the people, however, urged the Southwest Governors Forum to also intervene in the matter.

“The political crisis in Osun is becoming worrisome as no fewer than four people have lost their lives in clashes between the APC and PDP supporters.

“NANS National Headquarters views this with serious concerns and we urge President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene in the issue and end this deadly clashes. As the president, he should know that Osun is one of the states that is politically volatile, hence, efforts must be made to nip the crisis before it escalates bloodier clashes.

“He should also know that development and growth thrive where there is peace; Osun must not be allowed to be turned into a theater of political war by the APC and PDP. Political solutions must be sought to prevent the replay of the ‘Operation-Wet-E’ that engulfed the then Western Region of the country, as a result of political rivalry.

“We, hereby, call on the Southwest Governors Forum to also wade into the matter and prevail on Governor Ademola Adeleke and his predecessor and now Minister of Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola, to give peace a chance. Both should call their supporters to order before further damage is done.

“Also, we want to call on the security agents to rise to the occasion, arrest the perpetrators of violence and restore peace and order in Osun State”. The statement further stated.