The Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has backed the decision of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, ALGON in the state to suspend the activities of transport unions in public motor parks, saying the measure is aimed at addressing recurring violence and improving public safety.
In a statement issued on Tuesday by the party’s Director of Media and Information, Kola Olabisi, the APC described the suspension as a proactive step by local government authorities to curb violent incidents allegedly linked to motor parks across the state.
The party said the announcement made by Osun ALGON Vice Chairman, Lanre Balogun, reflected the commitment of local government administrations to protecting lives and property within their areas of responsibility.
According to the APC, “the suspension of transport union activities was intended to reduce incidents of extra-judicial killings and restore order in public motor parks pending further measures to strengthen security.
“The suspension of the union activities in all the motor parks in the state by the ALGON was a right step in the right direction as it would be an act of sheer irresponsibility for the local government chairmen to watch the people of the state being unjustifiably killed.”
The opposition party accused the administration of Governor Ademola Adeleke of failing in its constitutional responsibility to safeguard lives and property, alleging that the state government had not responded adequately to security concerns.
The APC alleged that some individuals involved in violent activities were being protected by the state government, claiming that certain transport union officials also occupied political appointments within the Adeleke administration.
“It is bizarre to witness the harbouring of some of these dangerous political hoodlums in the Osun State Government House from where they come out to attack their victims and rush back to the state government refuge to evade arrest and prosecution,” the statement added.
The party maintained that elected local government chairmen had a responsibility to prevent public facilities under their control from becoming centres of insecurity, irrespective of political disagreements.
Defending ALGON’s authority to issue the directive, the APC cited Paragraph 1(e) of the Fourth Schedule to the 1999 Constitution, arguing that local government councils are empowered to regulate motor parks and promote public order.
The statement urged critics of the suspension to examine the constitutional provisions relating to the responsibilities of local government councils before challenging the legality of the directive.
