Group Blasts Ex-Speaker Owoeye For Calling Gov Adeleke ‘Caretaker Governor’

— Describes Statement As Defamatory, Reckless

The Coalition of Civil Society Organizations for Good Governance (CCSOGG) has condemned a recent statement made by former Speaker of the OSUN State House of Assembly, Mr. Timothy Owoeye, describing Governor Ademola Adeleke as a “caretaker governor,” branding the comment as treasonable and a threat to democratic stability.

In a press statement released on Monday, the coalition described Owoeye’s remark as “reckless, inflammatory, and a direct affront to the will of Osun people,” who, it noted, overwhelmingly elected Adeleke in a transparent, democratic process.

“To suggest that a democratically elected Governor is a ‘caretaker Governor’ is not just an act of gross political irresponsibility; it amounts to a treasonable offense under Nigerian law,” the statement, signed by CCSOGG Secretary-General, Comrade Olalekan Johnson, reads in part.

According to the statement signed by Comrade Olalekan Johnson, Secretary General, Coalition of Civil Society for Good Governance and made available to journalists in Osogbo on Monday, CCSOGG accused Owoeye of attempting to undermine democratic institutions and incite public disaffection due to what it called the former speaker’s “trauma of electoral defeat and political irrelevance.” It added that while political losses are not uncommon, resorting to what it described as “seditious rhetoric” cannot be excused.

Governor Adeleke, the statement said, remains not only the legitimate Chief Executive of the state but also one of the most widely supported governors in the country.

It cited what it called “visible, people-oriented, and unprecedented achievements” as key reasons behind the governor’s popularity, which the coalition argued has unsettled opposition figures.

“The Adeleke administration has brought radical development across Osun State, including Mr. Owoeye’s hometown, which had long suffered abandonment,” the coalition claimed.

Calling on relevant security agencies to summon Mr. Owoeye for questioning, CCSOGG urged him to publicly retract the statement, warning that utterances of such nature should not be allowed to take root in Nigeria’s political space.

“Treasonable statements must not be tolerated, no matter who makes them. Our democracy must be protected from elements who seek to destabilize it through words that border on criminality,” the group said.

The coalition reaffirmed its support for Governor Adeleke’s administration and vowed to remain vigilant in defending Nigeria’s democracy “against those who attempt to undermine it.”
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