Daud Olatunji
Tension gripped Ilesa East Local Government Area of Osun State on Monday as gunshots reportedly rang out at the council secretariat when supporters of the Accord Party allegedly attempted to gain access to the premises.
The incident, which occurred two days after the Osun State governorship election, reportedly sent people at the secretariat scampering for safety.
A video from the scene showed some Accord Party supporters running in different directions as the sounds of gunshots were heard, heightening fears among those present.
However, details surrounding the confrontation remained sketchy as of press time.
It was not immediately clear whether the sounds were from live ammunition or teargas canisters. The identity of those who fired the shots was also unknown.
There were equally no confirmed reports of injuries, arrests or damage to property as of the time of filing this report.
The development came amid the prolonged political dispute over the control of local government secretariats in Osun State.
The crisis over the councils dates back to the February 2025 local government elections, which were challenged by the All Progressives Congress.
In the aftermath of the dispute, the APC announced in February 2025 that its members had taken control of all 30 local government secretariats in the state.
The then APC State Secretary, Kamorudeen Alao, had confirmed the development, saying the party took over the secretariats peacefully.
The controversy subsequently became entangled with a wider dispute over local government administration and statutory allocations to the councils.
According to an analysis of Federal Accounts Allocation Committee data cited in the report, statutory allocations due to Osun’s 30 local governments totalling N201.962bn were withheld between March 2025 and May 2026.
The figure comprised N131.5bn reportedly withheld between March and December 2025 and another N70.462bn between January and May 2026.
The local government funding dispute has remained one of the major political flashpoints between actors in the state and the Federal Government.
Monday’s confrontation therefore raised fresh concerns about the possibility of renewed tension over control of local government structures following the latest governorship election.
The incident occurred shortly after the governorship poll in which the incumbent governor and Accord Party candidate, Ademola Adeleke, was declared re-elected.
The outcome of the election is expected to have significant implications for the political balance in the state, including the administration of the local government councils.
As of press time, there had been no official explanation from the relevant security agencies on the reported shooting.
The circumstances that led to the confrontation, who fired the shots and whether any person was injured or arrested remained unclear.
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