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The Coalition for Democracy and Grassroots Governance, CDGG, has condemned the alleged meddling and outright bid by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, AGF, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, to put a wedge in the February 22 local government election in Osun State.

The group rejected Fagbemi’s call on Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke to direct the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission, OSIEC, to call off Saturday’s local government election.

In a statement released on Friday, the Coalition for Democracy described the opinion aired by Fagbemi on Thursday night against the conduct of the election as unfortunate, biased, partisan, and condemnable.

The statement, signed by Prince Tiamiyu Adekunle on behalf of the coalition, regretted that the AGF, as a senior legal officer of the federation, has openly exposed his partisan bias in a desperate bid to undermine democracy in Osun State.

It read in part: “His call is nothing but a deliberate attempt to deny the people of Osun their fundamental right to elect their local government leaders, a move that starkly contradicts the principles of democratic governance and grassroots development.”

The CDGG warned that any attempt to prevent the local government election from holding in Osun or any other part of the country amounts to a blatant disregard for the ruling of the Supreme Court, which has mandated that all local governments must be governed by democratically elected leadership.

“The highest court of the land has made it clear that caretaker committees or any form of unelected administration at the local government level are illegal, and any move to subvert this ruling is an attack on the rule of law.

“It is deeply disappointing that Mr. Lateef Fagbemi, despite his reputation as a respected senior lawyer, has chosen to lend himself as a willing tool to desperate politicians in Osun State, led by a former governor, who are hell-bent on frustrating the democratic process in the state.

“This brazen display of partisanship is unbecoming of an individual occupying such a crucial office and raises serious concerns about his commitment to justice and democratic principles.

“We urge the people of Osun State not to be intimidated or discouraged by the desperation of these enemies of democracy. Instead, we call on all eligible voters to turn out in their numbers on Saturday to exercise their democratic right and elect leaders of their choice.

“The power belongs to the people, and no amount of intimidation or political manipulation should be allowed to derail the democratic process.

“Democracy must prevail in Osun State, and CDGG will continue to stand firm against any forces working against the people’s right to grassroots governance,” the statement said.