Osun Lawmaker Counters Assembly’s Rejection Of Adeleke’s State Renaming

Adewumi Adeyemi Irekandu, a member of the Osun State House of Assembly has faulted the purported resolution of the State Assembly rejecting the decision of the newly inaugurated governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, to rename the state from “State of Osun” to Osun State.

Irenkandu who is representing Obokun State Constituency said members of the state assembly have not met since the inauguration of  Governor Ademola Adeleke and there was no place that the resolution was passed.

The new governor on Monday, November 28, 2022, barely 24 hours after his inauguration, passed six Executive Orders, one of which was to rename the state from “State of Osun” to Osun State. According to Adeleke, the latter nomenclature is constitutionally recognised.

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Adeleke also reversed all appointments made by the immediate past governor, Adegboyega Oyetola, effective from July 7, 2022, and also ordered that all government bank accounts be frozen, adding that all actions of the Oyetola-led administration from July 17 will be revisited.

The renaming of the state to “State of Osun” was done by the administration of Rauf Aregbesola, who ruled from 2010–2018.

In a reaction to the governor’s decision, the House, through the Chairman of the House Committee on Media and Publicity, Moshood Kunle Akande, issued a press statement on Monday, November 28, 2022, to counter the action.

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According to Akande, the state anthem, crest, and flag was an enactment of a law assented to on December 18, 2012, and cannot be reversed by an individual’s order.

Reacting to that, Irekandu said such a resolution was not made by members of the state assembly.

He said “My attention has been drawn to a statement which reportedly emanated from the Osun State House of Assembly and was signed by Hon. Moshood Kunle Akande”.

“In the said statement, it was stated that the Assembly reviewed the inaugural speech and activities of the inauguration held on Sunday, November 27.

“As a lawmaker who attends plenary very well, I hereby state unequivocally that the Assembly has not met after the governor’s inauguration. It is also worth noting that there was no place the resolution was passed by the Assembly.”

Irekandu advised the colleague lawmakers on the need to work together and support the new government to make the state better.

“I will however encourage and advise all my colleagues to let us work together and support the new government of the day.

“Let us make Osun our priority and move Osun forward to make it better,” the lawmaker stated.