LGs: Osun Residents Left Agitated As APC, PDP Disagree On Interpretation Of ‘Fresh’ Appeal Court Ruling
Residents and citizens of Osun State especially the local government workers have been left agitated ahead of resumption of work on Monday, June 23, 2025.
No one knows if it would be a ‘peaceful’ Monday or not as the ruling party in the state, the PDP, and the leading opposition party, APC, have continued the stand-off over the control of local governments in the state.
Following the simmering tension, some among residents of the State of the Living Spring expressed safety fears on Sunday while social media posts by residents of the state also got this accentuated.
‘No one is sure that no ‘negative situation’ would be recorded at the local government secretariats in the state especially during the ‘working hours’ tomorrow’ a resident , who spoke on condition of anonymity, told our reporter on Sunday.
What stood as the starting point for the seeming unending political tension in the state was the ruling delivered by the Court of Appeal, Akure, Ondo State on February 10, 2025.
Recall that the interpretation of the court ruling in question had sparked controversy.
Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSIEC), the state PDP, the state APC, and other stakeholders in the State of the Living Spring had disagreed sharply on how to interpret the court ruling.
The court ruling was on the outcome of the local government elections conducted by the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSIEC) on October 15, 2022, and its connection with the local government elections held on February 22, 2025.
While APC had argued that the election of the 2022 LG officials remains valid and that there was therefore no reason to hold a fresh election, the PDP and OSIEC held a contrary view and asserted that those who had emerged as LG officials in 2022 had already gotten removed from office via a court ruling noting that the court of appeal ruling delivered on February 10 did not return them to office as claimed by the APC.
This had led to emergence of two different sets of people laying claim to chairmanship and councillorship positions in the state and the stand-off over the control of local governments in the state had reached a very disturbing level on February 17 which left APC and PDP members in the state dead including Hon Remi Abass, an APC chieftain, who was the Chairman of Ikire local government.
Governor Ademola Adeleke had consequently directed the 2025 LG chairmen and councilors to stay away from the local government secretariats whilst efforts are being made to explore legal means of addressing the situation and ‘peace’ had reigned in the state until last week.
The two major political parties in the state have again disagreed on how to interpret the fresh ruling delivered by the same Court of Appeal, Akure, Ondo State on June 13, 2025.
While the state APC has asserted that the June 13 ruling had only reaffirmed the decision to reinstate the local government chairmen and councilors that were elected on October 15, 2022, the state PDP has argued forcibly that neither the February 10 ruling nor the June 13 ruling reinstated the 2022 LG chairmen.
Osun State PDP claimed that the June 13 ruling has only reaffirmed the removal of the 2022 local government chairmen and councilors from office adding that this was substantiated with the certified true copy of the court ruling in question which was made available by its team of lawyers.
The state APC in a statement issued by its spokesman, Mr Kola Olabisi alleged on Sunday that the state PDP and some officials of the Osun State Government are planning to ‘violently take control of the local government secretariats on Monday, June 23, 2025’
APC also alleged that PDP is planning to make use of street urchins for some purposes to gain public sympathy.
‘When all credible options to revive the hopeless bid to return the illegal and sit-at-home PDP impostors failed, the Governor Adeleke administration began to forum-shop, running helter-skelter from one lower court to another, to set aside the judgment of the Court of Appeal that reinstated our chairmen and councilors.
The citizens witnessed how Governor Adeleke and his co-travellers struggled last week to sell a dummy to the unsuspecting members of the public by publicizing mere obiter dicta as the judgment of the last judgment of the Court of Appeal on the reinstated APC council chairmen and councilors – a venture which fell flat like a pack of cards.
Having exhausted their jokers, they are now activating plots to disturb the peace believing that it would fetch them a leverage to turn the public against our members, particularly the elected officials administering the affairs of the local government councils’ the statement added.
In the meanwhile, a bipartisan group, Osun Leaders of Thought (OLT) has hailed the ruling delivered by the Court of Appeal on June 13 in respect of local government administration in the state while calling on the state APC to end what it called ‘illegal occupation’ of local government secretariats across the state.
A statement made available to Team@orientactualmags.com by Mr Adekunle Adebayo noted that members of the group at the meeting held in Osogbo on Friday, commended the judiciary for setting the record straight by clarifying that there was never a reinstatement of the 2022 local government chairmen while acknowledging that validly elected chairmen and councilors have already been sworn in by the state governor.
The group said the court ruling that is now in public domain has put an end to the stand-off over the control of local governments in the state while urging the state APC leaders to comply with the court ruling before ‘it is too late’.
‘We call on the leadership of APC in Osun State to quit the illegal occupation of council secretariats. Any continued disruption of smooth running of the local governments is to be blamed on the APC. We urge the leaders of APC to end the game.
We also remind them that it would be too shameful if Abuja had to force them to abandon illegality. The state APC must stop the embarrassment it is inflicting on the presidency.
Bowing to the law now will assist the state APC to start mending its badly eroded goodwill among Osun people. Men of goodwill should prevail on them to call it quit and prepare for 2026 guber election’ the statement added.
Governor Ademola Adeleke also on Sunday expressed commitment to pursuing matters that have to do with the running of affairs of local governments in the state to logical conclusion, but however noted that this would be done through legal means.
He congratulated the people of Osun State on the ruling delivered by the Court of Appeal on June 13,2025, arguing that this has finally reaffirmed the truth about the legality of the election of new LG officials a few months ago.
The governor in a statement issued in Osogbo by his spokesperson, Mallam Olawale Rasheed commended Osun State people for their patience and their commitment to due process, noting that the latest judgement has put paid to any lie about reinstatement of previously sacked chairmen and affirmed the legitimacy of the PDP chairmen and councillors.
‘Unlike the opposition, we are people of due process. The latest judgement is being served on all relevant stakeholders at the state and national levels. Our expectation is a quick restoration of normalcy in line with the law.
I appreciate the deep love for peace and unity as demonstrated by the PDP Chairmen and councillors in the 30 local governments and the area councils since they got sworn in . Your patience and support for the law has paid off’ he said.
Governor Adeleke further thanked security agencies for their commitment to law as well as peace and tranquility of Osun State while urging citizens and residents of the state to go about their lives peacefully.
‘Evil plots against our dear state on all fronts have been foiled. We must continue to remain peaceful and never allow agents of violence and enemies of the people to drag the state into violence and backwardness’ the governor added-Team@orientactualmags.com Do you have any information you wish to share with us? Do you want us to cover your event or programme? Kindly send SMS to 08059100286, 09094171980 or get in touch via orientactualmag@gmail.com. Thank you
