Leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State and members of the state chapter of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) have accused the state government of deliberately stoking tensions over the control of local government councils following a recent Federal High Court judgment.
The allegations were made on Friday during a press conference in Osogbo, where the APC, through its spokesperson, Barrister Adegoke Ogunsola, claimed that the administration of Governor Ademola Adeleke was misrepresenting the implications of a court ruling in a manner capable of causing unrest across the state.
According to Ogunsola, the legal dispute originated from a suit filed on 12 September 2025 by reinstated APC local government chairmen and councillors. The suit sought judicial interpretation of the commencement date of their tenure under relevant provisions of Osun State law.
He explained that the Federal High Court in Osogbo dismissed the case on 15 June 2026 but argued that the dismissal did not amount to an endorsement of the local government elections allegedly conducted by the state government on 22 February 2025.
“The dismissal of the suit did not amount to validation of the local government elections allegedly conducted on February 22, 2025, as being claimed by the state government and its supporters,” Ogunsola stated.
He alleged that following the court’s decision, supporters of the state government took to the streets and began presenting the ruling as confirmation of the legitimacy of the disputed elections.
“Sequel to the dismissal, the Osun State Government and its henchmen stormed the streets and began to foment avoidable crises by ascribing the dismissal of the suit to validation of the ruse being paraded as the outcome of local government elections purportedly held on February 22, 2025,” he said.
The APC leaders also criticised Governor Adeleke’s request for police protection for individuals he described as duly elected local government officials. They argued that such a move was unnecessary and potentially capable of escalating tensions in the state.
Ogunsola disclosed that the Federal High Court judgment had already been appealed and that an application for a stay of execution was filed on 16 June 2026. According to him, copies of the application were served on all parties involved, including the Nigeria Police Force.
“To set the record straight, the judgment of the FHC that they want to utilise to enthrone themselves is the subject of an appeal, with an application for stay of execution dated and filed on June 16, 2026, and which has been served on the parties,” he said.
The APC maintained that the individuals seeking to assume control of the local councils were not parties to the original suit and that no relief was granted in their favour by the court. Consequently, the party argued that the police should refrain from taking any action based on an interpretation of the judgment while the appeal remains pending.
Ogunsola further cited portions of the court ruling which, according to him, affirmed that the tenure of the elected chairmen and councillors ran from October 2022 until October 2025.
Quoting the judgment, he said: “No matter the interruptions or interjections in the tenure of the elected public officer after subscription to the oath of office and oath of allegiance, the expiration date of the said tenure remains the same as per the Constitution or the statute.”
He argued that the court’s pronouncement effectively invalidated the February 2025 elections and subsequent swearing-in ceremony conducted by the state government, adding that the matter is now before the Court of Appeal for determination.
The APC leaders called on residents of Osun State to remain calm, law-abiding and peaceful while awaiting the outcome of the legal process. They insisted that there is currently no court order authorising any group to take over local government secretariats pending the resolution of the appeal.
The party also commended security agencies, including the police, the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), for their efforts in maintaining peace and preventing a breakdown of law and order.
However, the APC warned that any unrest arising from attempts to enforce what it described as a disputed interpretation of the court judgment should be blamed on the state government.
The latest dispute underscores the continuing political and legal contest over local government administration in Osun State, a matter that is expected to remain contentious until the appellate court delivers a definitive ruling on the issues in dispute.