Osun APC Kicks Against Park Management Law, Demands Withdrawal

The Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has kicked against the newly passed Integrated Transport, Traffic and Park Management System Bill, describing it as unconstitutional and urging the State House of Assembly to withdraw the legislation.

The opposition party argued that the bill could create a constitutional conflict by granting the state government powers over motor parks and related revenue collection, which it said fall within the responsibilities assigned to local government councils.

The APC made its position known in a statement issued on Thursday by its Director of Media and Information, Kola Olabisi, following the passage of the bill by the Osun State House of Assembly on Wednesday.

The legislation is designed to provide an integrated framework for the registration, regulation and management of commercial transport, traffic, motor parks, terminals, garages and loading points across the state.

Among its key provisions is a digitalised ticketing system aimed at eliminating multiple ticketing in motor parks while promoting transparency and efficiency in transport-related revenue collection.

However, the APC described the legislation as “a legislative harakiri, unenforceable and a recipe for crisis,” and called on the lawmakers to withdraw it.

The party hinged its objection on Section 7(1) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, read alongside the Fourth Schedule, which it said assigns local government councils responsibilities including the establishment, maintenance and regulation of motor parks.

According to the APC, the new legislation could conflict with those constitutional provisions if it gives the state government direct control over motor parks and associated revenue collection.

The party also linked the bill to the Adeleke administration’s previous efforts to restructure the management of motor parks in the state, alleging that the new legislation could provide another avenue for the government to achieve what it described as an unconstitutional takeover.

“We won’t fail to impress it on Governor Ademola Adeleke that his administration could not now access or achieve the illegality through his obnoxious and repugnant Motor Parks Management Bill,” the party said.

The APC further urged members of the House of Assembly to focus on enacting laws that would strengthen governance without creating unnecessary constitutional disputes.

“The duty of the State House of Assembly is to embark on making productive and legal laws,” the party stated.

The opposition party therefore called for the immediate withdrawal of the bill, arguing that doing so would be in the interest of peace and stability in the state.

It also maintained that where a state legislation is inconsistent with the provisions of the Constitution, the constitutional provisions would prevail, urging the lawmakers to reconsider the bill before it proceeds to the assent stage.