The Reinstated local government chairmen and councillors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State have accused the administration of Governor Ademola Adeleke of allegedly twisting the interpretation of a recent Federal High Court judgment in a manner capable of creating confusion and tension across the state’s local government councils.
The officials, speaking through the Osun State chapter of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) and concerned APC stakeholders, made the allegation during a press conference held in Osogbo on Friday.
Addressing journalists, the group’s spokesperson, Barrister (Chief) Adegoke Ogunsola, said the state government had embarked on what he described as a deliberate campaign of misinformation following the dismissal of Suit No. FHC/OS/CS/147/2025 by the Federal High Court sitting in Osogbo.
According to Ogunsola, the suit, filed on September 12, 2025, sought judicial clarification on issues surrounding the commencement and expiration of the tenure of the reinstated APC local government chairmen and councillors. While the court dismissed the case on June 15, 2026, he maintained that the judgment did not in any way validate the local government election conducted by the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSSIEC) on February 22, 2025.
The APC officials alleged that the Adeleke administration was relying on its interpretation of the judgment to justify what they termed an unlawful attempt to install People’s Democratic Party (PDP)-backed officials in local government councils across the state.
They further disclosed that the matter has already been taken before the Court of Appeal, noting that both a notice of appeal and a motion for stay of execution were filed on June 16, 2026, and served on all parties involved, including relevant security agencies.
The group argued that no individual or organisation currently celebrating the judgment was a party to the suit and stressed that the court did not issue any order authorising a takeover of local government secretariats.
According to them, any attempt to enforce interpretations of the judgment while the appeal and stay of execution applications remain pending could undermine constitutional processes and heighten political tension across the state.
The APC chairmen also pointed to aspects of the judgment which they claimed acknowledged that the tenure of the reinstated officials expired in October 2025. They argued that such observations raise significant legal questions regarding the status of the February 2025 local government election and the subsequent swearing-in ceremony conducted by the state government.
Calling for restraint, the group urged the Osun State Government to allow the appellate court to determine the issues in dispute rather than taking actions that could threaten public peace.
They also appealed to residents to remain calm, law-abiding, and avoid being influenced by what they described as misleading interpretations of the court’s decision.
The APC officials commended security agencies, including the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services (DSS), and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), for their efforts in maintaining peace amid the prolonged local government leadership dispute in the state.
They warned that any breakdown of law and order arising from the controversy should be attributed to those seeking to enforce their interpretation of the judgment before the conclusion of the appellate process.
