President Bola Tinubu has initiated moves to resolve the lingering crisis over control of local government councils in Osun State, setting up a committee led by his Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, to broker a settlement with Governor Ademola Adeleke’s administration.
A senior Osun State Government official disclosed that the committee was constituted shortly after Adeleke’s visit to the Presidential Villa in Abuja following the August 15 governorship election.
According to the official, the Presidency and the Osun State Government are working towards a resolution framework that would enable both sides to settle their differences and restore normal administration at the grassroots level.
The proposed arrangement would require the parties to agree on the terms of settlement before approaching the court to formalise an out-of-court resolution.
The official said negotiations had reached an advanced stage, raising hopes that the prolonged dispute could be resolved before the 2027 general elections.
The crisis has centred on rival claims to the leadership and control of local government councils, with the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Adeleke-led state government holding opposing positions on the legitimacy of council officials.
The dispute has triggered multiple court cases and violent confrontations, while questions over control of council secretariats and access to local government funds have further complicated efforts to restore normalcy.
Adeleke’s spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, confirmed that the Presidency and the state government were working towards establishing a negotiation team, although he said he was not privy to the details of the proposed settlement.
Rasheed described the dispute as legally and politically complex, stressing that resolving it would require careful negotiations rather than a unilateral decision.
