February 24, (THEWILL) – The main opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and the governing All Progressives Congress, APC, engaged in a war words on Sunday shortly after Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State conducted the swearing-in ceremony for the 30 local government chairmen and 332 councillors declared winners of the Saturday, February 21, 2025 polls by the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission, OSIEC.
The Information Officer for the Commission, Sadiat Isiaka, in Osogbo on Sunday, said that the chairman, Hashim Abioye, presented the council officials with their certificates before they were sworn in by the governor. All the elected officials won the election on the platform of the PDP.
THEWILL recalls that the Commission embarked on the exercise on the directive of Governor Adeleke, who dismissed legal and security advice from the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and the Inspector General of Police, Tunji Egbetokun, respectively.
Fagbemi had advised against conduct of the poll on the basis of an Appeal Court judgement in Akure on February 10, 2025, which vacated a Federal High Court ruling in support of the PDP’s position that the 2022 election was illegal.
Acting on the Appeal Court judgement, the judicially reinstated Chairmen resumed duties at the local government secretariats on February 17, 2025, leading to a clash between supporters of both political parties. In the ensuing violence, a local government chairman was killed while many persons were injured. The police had to step in quickly to stop further violence.
In their separate reactions after the swearing-in of the PDP Chairmen and councillors on Sunday, APC and PDP tore at each other in support for and against the matter.
The APC accused the governor of violating his oath of office and the rule of law by approving the conduct of Saturday poll.
The party lamented that conducting the poll in the face of a subsisting judgment of the Court of Appeal which reinstated previously sacked officials was an affront to the rule of law and a resort to self-help.
According to APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, in a statement titled “Adeleke Must Remedy Flagrant Breach of His Oath of Office,” the Appeal Court’s decision effectively reinstated the LG officials who were removed through an executive order issued by Governor Adeleke in 2022.
He said, “To be clear, in its judgment, the Court of Appeal allowed the appeal of the All Progressives Congress (APC) against the judgment of the Federal High Court and held that the suit was incompetent and was struck out accordingly.
“In effect, the Court of Appeal nullified the judgment of the Federal High Court and reinstated the sacked local government officials until the expiration of their term of office in October 2025. That is the valid, subsisting, and binding legal position on the matter.”
Morka went on to criticise Governor Adeleke’s earlier appointment of “caretaker committees” in replacement of the sacked local government officials in 2022, and described the decision as “illegal and a direct violation of Section 7(1) of the Nigerian Constitution, which guarantees a system of local government by democratically elected councils.”
He questioned the governor’s ability to uphold constitutional principles.
He said, “Why is it so difficult for Governor Adeleke, who swore an oath to uphold and defend the Constitution, to abide by a valid order of the Court of Appeal reinstating the sacked local government officials?
“Why is the Governor and his PDP vehement on taking matters into their own hands in disregard of a valid judgment of the Court of Appeal?
“Why is Governor Adeleke so desperate and determined to incite anarchy in Osun state with impunity?”
Morka concluded by saying that the recently conducted poll was “nothing but a disgraceful sham, illegal, unconstitutional, and violently contemptuous of the valid and subsisting judgment of the Court of Appeal, and of no effect whatsoever,” adding that the as an elected governor under a constitutional duty to respect the rule of law, “the sensible and democratic remedy available to Adeleke is to exercise his government’s right to appeal to the Supreme Court in the matter.”
While calling on security agencies to ensure the maintenance of law and order, he appealed to local government workers to continue their support for the chairmen and councillors reinstated by the Appeal Court.
On its part, the PDP congratulated Governor Adeleke, the government, and the people of Osun State for the conduct and outcome of the poll. It said the outcome was a triumph over the anti-democratic forces of the APC and thanked voters for resisting attempts by the party to take control of the state through illegal means.
“The free, fair, transparent, and credible election conducted by the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission is a resounding triumph for democracy, the rule of law, and the constitutional principle of true federalism, said the PDP’s National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, adding that, “It represents the will of the people of Osun State over the anti-democratic forces of the APC, which sought to take control of the state through illegal means.”
He said the PDP’s overwhelming victory in the election reflects the people’s appreciation of Governor Adeleke’s outstanding achievements and urged the newly elected local government chairmen and councillors to align with
Governor Adeleke’s vision to ensure grassroots communities continue to benefit from his people-first governance approach.
Meanwhile Governor Adeleke, after swearing-in the chairmen and councillors in Osogbo, directed , “you (the Chairmen) and your councillors to please stay away from the council secretariats to avoid any clash with those whom the police had aided to forcefully occupy the local government secretariats.”
In the company of the chairman of the PDP Governors Forum, Governor Bala Muhammed, Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, ex-Osun Governor, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, friends of the LG officials, Adeleke urged them to follow the template of the PDP in delivering on the mandate given to them.
He recalled the, “the legal controversies that dogged the holding of the election,” and thanked the “Osun State Independent Electoral Commission for discharging its mandate professionally and with all sense of responsibility as well as security agencies and state officials who made the election a reality.”
“Finally. An Osun State High Court had affirmed the vacancies in both the Chairman and Councillors positions in all of Osun State Local Governments before your election on the 22nd February 2025. We will, therefore, rely on the judiciary to ensure a peaceful removal of those illegally occupying the local government secretariats. Please be patient and always abide by the rule of law,” Adeleke said.
Calling for peace in Osun State, Makinde said, “We don’t want the wild wild west again. They (APC) should stay away from this zone. We want to peacefully provide the dividend of democracy to the people.
“They should not resort to self-help even if there is a court judgment. They should not think because they have Federal might. This is a Federal arrangement. I will stop here.”
Felix Ifijeh is a journalist with years of professional reporting experience. Known for his keen news sense, compelling storytelling and commitment to accurate, impactful reporting, he has built a reputation for turning leads into clear, engaging, and well-structured reports that resonate with readers. His work reflects deep newsroom experience and a commitment to accurate, impactful journalism.
