The Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the state House of Assembly are at odds over the Osun State Integrated Transport, Traffic and Park Management System Bill, 2026. The bill, passed by the Assembly and forwarded to Governor Ademola Adeleke for assent, aims to regulate motor parks and transport activities across the state. The APC has challenged the assembly's authority, citing constitutional concerns.
The APC's objection is based on Section 7(1) and the Fourth Schedule of the Nigerian constitution, which assigns the direct administration and revenue collection of public motor parks to democratically elected local government councils. The party argues that the regulation and revenue collection associated with public motor parks belong to local government councils, not the state government. The APC has urged the assembly to withdraw the legislation, describing it as unconstitutional and unenforceable.
The House of Assembly has rejected the APC's interpretation of the constitution, arguing that the party has misunderstood the constitutional relationship between state governments and local government councils. The assembly cited Section 7(1) of the constitution, which guarantees the system of democratically elected local government councils, while also providing that state governments shall ensure their existence under laws providing for their establishment, structure, composition, finance and functions.
The lawmakers acknowledged that the Fourth Schedule assigns the regulation of motor parks to local government councils but argued that the constitutional framework also recognises the role of state legislatures in determining the legal framework within which local governments operate. The assembly challenged the APC to take its constitutional objection to court rather than seeking to determine the validity of the legislation through public statements.
The Integrated Transport, Traffic and Park Management System Bill seeks to create a framework for the registration, regulation, management and digital administration of commercial transportation, traffic, motor parks, terminals, garages, loading points and related transport infrastructure. A key provision is the introduction of digitalised ticketing, aimed at eliminating multiple ticketing, reducing the financial burden on transport operators and improving transparency in revenue collection.
The bill follows Governor Adeleke's September directive for the reintroduction of a Park Management System after the killing of his ally, Olalekan Oyeyemi, popularly known as Emir Ajagungbade, in Ile-Ife. The state government said the incident was allegedly connected to a dispute over the leadership of a motor park. The governor ordered security agencies to restore order in affected parks and announced plans to establish a new park management structure.
The disagreement introduces a new dimension to the governor's plan to reintroduce a new Park Management System. The APC has linked the bill to Governor Adeleke's earlier decision to reintroduce the Park Management System through an executive order, arguing that the legislative route is an attempt to achieve the same objective after opposition to the proposed executive action.
Key points
- The Osun State Integrated Transport, Traffic and Park Management System Bill aims to regulate motor parks and transport activities across the state.
- The APC has challenged the assembly's authority, citing constitutional concerns.
- The disagreement is linked to Governor Adeleke's plan to reintroduce a new Park Management System following a recent violent dispute over control of motor parks in the state.
