The Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has accused the Osun State Government of deliberately instigating tensions over the administration of local government councils, warning that recent actions by the government could lead to a breakdown of law and order in the state.
The allegation was made during a press conference held on Thursday at Ileri Oluwa House, Ogo Oluwa Area, Osogbo, by members of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Osun State chapter, and concerned APC members. The briefing was addressed by Barrister (Chief) Adegoke Ogunsola.
According to the APC representatives, a suit filed by reinstated APC local government chairmen and councillors at the Federal High Court, Osogbo, on September 12, 2025, sought judicial interpretation of the commencement date of their tenure in office under relevant Osun State laws.
The court, in its judgment delivered on June 15, 2026, dismissed the suit. However, the APC argued that the state government had wrongly interpreted the ruling as validating the local government elections conducted on February 22, 2025.
The party alleged that following the judgment, the state government called on security agencies, particularly the Nigeria Police Force, to provide protection for individuals it described as elected local government officials. The APC described the move as “embarrassing” and capable of creating unnecessary tension in the state.
APC leaders further stated that they had already appealed the Federal High Court judgment and filed a motion for stay of execution on June 16, 2026. They maintained that the appeal process should be allowed to run its course before any attempt is made to enforce the judgment.
According to the party, those claiming to have emerged from the February 2025 local government elections were not parties to the suit and, therefore, could not rely on the court’s dismissal of the case as legal justification to assume office.
The APC also contended that the judgment acknowledged that the tenure of the reinstated chairmen and councillors expired in October 2025, citing a section of the ruling which stated that interruptions in tenure could not extend the legally prescribed three-year term from October 2022 to October 2025.
Based on this interpretation, the party argued that the February 2025 local government elections and subsequent swearing-in ceremony were conducted while the tenure of the elected officials was still subsisting, rendering the process invalid. It noted that the issue is among matters currently before the Court of Appeal.
The APC called on residents of Osun State to remain peaceful and continue their lawful activities, urging them to disregard what it described as misinformation surrounding the court judgment.
The party further warned that any breakdown of law and order arising from the dispute should be blamed on the state government.
The APC also commended security agencies, including the police, the Department of State Services (DSS), and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), for what it described as their professionalism in handling the situation.
As of the time of filing this report, the Osun State Government had not issued an official response to the allegations made by the APC.
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