By Kolade Ismail

There is a reason that politics is referred to as the art of compromise. This is because it involves finding common ground and negotiating agreements among individuals or groups with different interests, values, and beliefs.

After the two parties in the Osun State Local Government crisis have achieved their set objectives and a consequent stalemate, I think it is time APC and PDP started negotiating a terms of truce for the benefits of all the gladiators and the state at large.

APC chairmen and councillors have assumed office consequent to the Appeal Court ruling while PDP expectedly held election into the same positions last Saturday. The ‘victorious’ Chairmen and Councillors were sworn in on Sunday.
Expectedly too, Governor Ademola Jackson Adeleke directed all the newly ‘elected’ to stay away from local government council secretariats in order to avoid a breakdown of law and order in the state.

I must commend Governor Adeleke for giving this directive. For me, it signposted the commencement of councilatory move by the governor. I also noted the effusive praise of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Adeleke also expressed appreciation to President Tinubu for not allowing Osun State to descend into chaos.

This is a departure from the governor’s attempt to clackmail the president earlier to call his nephew, former Governor Oyetola tó order.

Now I expect the Governor to be working on his phone to thought leaders in Osun State who have built sufficient apolitical profile to help broker a peace deal with the President to address Osun crisis now.

Such individuals as Chief Inaolaji Moses Aboaba, the first Secretary and Head of Service of the state should be on the list. Dr. Segun Aina , the former Chairman of Odua Group of Companies should also be on the list.

And What should be the content of the compromise?

I believe that in a democratic society, people have different opinions, experiences, and priorities.

And Politicians must navigate these diverse perspectives to find mutually acceptable solutions.

What should be uppermost in the governor’s priorities now is finding common ground to preserve social cohesion and to maintain public trust in his administration.

In this regard, I think the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi already laid down the possible areas of compromise that can be easily agreed to by the two parties. And what is this marker?.

Mr. Lateef Fagbemi SAN said “Notwithstanding the judgement of the Court of Appeal referenced above, which in effect means that the term of office of the elected officials has regained currency and will naturally run out in October 2025, His Excellency has insisted that a new Local Government election shall be held on Saturday, 22 February 2025.”

Even though the hawks in APC are not happy with Fegbemi’s position on the tenure of the reinstated chairmen and Councillors, but he has already offered the biggest opportunity to address the impasse.

In my own opinion, the governor and his party should allow the sacked and reinstated APC Chairmen and Councillors to complete their term in October and also collect the backlog of entitlements, after which the newly ‘elected’ PDP Chairmen and Councillors will commence their terms.

I believe with this compromise everyone wins and nobody loses.

This is the time rationality must triumph over political reasons.

It is time for a negotiated peace in Osun State.

| Ismail, a politician, writes from Ode-Omu in Ayedaade Local Government Area of Osun State