There were pockets of violence in some local governments on Monday as members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) engaged in skirmishes over control of local government secretariats.

A correspondent at the Ife East Local Government Secretariat in Ile-Ife said the crisis broke out when PDP members were trying to resist APC members from attempting to gain entrance into the premises.

The crisis resulted in sporadic gunshots while passers-by scampered for safety.

Police officers at the scene fled when they could no longer control the situation.

A pregnant woman scampering for safety fainted and later regained consciousness after water was poured on her.

A correspondent who was also being manhandled by suspected thugs was rescued by some workers of the local government.

Some police officers and other security personnel were, however, keeping watch at the Osogbo and Olorunda local government secretariats to prevent hoodlums from breaking into the premises.

The state police spokesperson, CSP Yemisi Opalola, said personnel had been deployed to local councils to maintain law and order.

There had been a crisis between APC and PDP over the Appeal Court judgement regarding the sacked APC council chairs and councillors.

While the PDP claimed that the February 10 judgment of the Court of Appeal, Akure, did not reinstate the sacked APC chairs and councillors elected in 2022, the APC insisted on their return.

Governor Ademola Adeleke on Sunday alleged that members of the APC were planning to forcefully take over the 30 local government secretariats.

Mr Adeleke, while addressing a news conference, insisted that the Federal High Court in Osogbo sacked the council chairs and councillors in two separate judgements.

The governor said the Court of Appeal judgment did not order the reinstatement of the sacked chairs and councillors.

However, in another press conference, the state APC chairman, Tajudeen Lawal, asked the governor to comply with the court order and protect the reinstated council chairmen and councillors.

“The Appellate Court did not only find the APC Appeal meritorious but also allowed the appeal in a unanimous decision which has sought, among others, reinstatement of the elected officers.

“Neither the state government nor the Peoples Democratic Party find any error in the judgment in respect of which no appeal was filed.

“It is surprising, however, that the state government has begun to deploy so many tactics to avoid enforcement of the judgment which ought to be automatic,” he said.

(NAN)