By Tunde Olamilekan
Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has accused the federal government of trampling on the rights of the state because he is from a different political party.
The governor stated this on Thursday while delivering an address at the South West Summit organised by Afenifere in partnership with the New Dawn Commission in Akure.
Adeleke, who was represented by the Deputy Governor, Prince Kola Adewusi, said party differences should not warrant unfair treatment of any subnational government, stressing that collaboration for development should be the operating norm.
According to a statement by the governor’s spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, Adeleke at the programme, pushed for a positive political interaction between national and subnational entities even as he urged corrective lessons where rights and privileges of the federating partners have been violated.
The governor who said Osun should have hosted the summit said the Osun scenario manifests a subsisting infraction and trampling on the expressed rights of the subnational entity by the national authority.
According to the statement, Adeleke said: “There is an ongoing wilful breach of the constitution to deprive a subnational entity of its due rights simply because it does not belong to the same party as the ruling party at the centre.
“Distinguished scholars and guests may want to note that Osun stands in a unique position among the southwestern states on the subject of this conference. Osun is the ancestral home of the head of the Federal Government. We have party differences with the party controlling the centre. Even with the best of positive reach out, it is sad to note that some operatives of the ruling federal party have adopted an adversarial approach to Osun State.
“Federal projects and initiatives are now being routed through party structures instead of Osun state government machinery especially. Nominations and access to federal opportunities are channelled through party organisations with official state structures deliberately excluded. The dynamics of interaction between national and subnational entities is not only undermined but threatened.
“A troubling dimension was introduced earlier this year when the rule of law was replaced with the rule of the thumb. The issue here relates to handling of the state Security and local government matters. It is trite in every democratic order that rule of law within the ambit of the constitution is the regulatory framework for wielding of state powers.
“I cite all above details to shed light on impunity and abuse of power as a major impediment to a virile national and subnational collaboration. As a government Osun state has demonstrated the willingness and readiness for productive partnership and interaction. Despite hostile posturing, Osun is always a top participant in federal peer review of the 36 states.
“It is our position that the South West must elevate power applications beyond partisan considerations. There must be a strategic outlook having development of the region as a priority irrespective of governing parties at subnational level. We must embark on the development of a circular cargo railway project for the South West in partnership with the Federal Government. The DAWN Commission has done a fantastic job in that direction.”
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