Local Government Elections Must Hold, Gov Adeleke Assures Osun Residents

By Eric Elezuo

Amid crisis rocking the local government administration in Osun State, the state Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, has insisted that the local government elections scheduled for Saturday will proceed as planned. This is inspite of an appeal from the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, to suspend the polls, and allow the alleged reinstated chairmen, who are members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to complete their tenure.

Adeleke’s spokesperson, Mallam Olawale Rasheed, in a statement made available to The Boss, on Friday advused all parties to abide by democratic norms while reiterating that democracy is guided by the rule of law, and that no individual has the authority to override the courts.

“My advice to all parties, including local and national stakeholders, is to abide by democratic norms,” he said.

He further informed that the PDP as a party are willing to play by the rule of law, insisting that the elections will hold.

“As for me and my people, we stand by the rule of law, not illegal self-help. Election is going to hold, and the outcome will be a fast-tracked development at the local level. I urge our people to remain peaceful. Osun is a truly peaceful state,” the statement read.

But the AGF, in a statement on earlier on Thursday, had urged Adeleke to instruct the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission to halt the election, warning that it would be invalid and a violation of the Constitution.

Fagbemi referenced the recent Court of Appeal ruling in Akure, which overturned an earlier Federal High Court judgment that nullified the previous local government elections conducted under former Governor Adegboyega Oyetola. The ruling effectively reinstated the sacked council chairmen, whose tenure, according to the AGF, remains valid until October 2025.

Fagbemi noted that any such election that may be held will not only be invalid since the term of office of the elected officials just restored by the judgment of the Court of Appeal will still be running until October 2025, but it will also amount to an egregious breach of the Constitution, which Governor Adeleke has sworn to uphold.

He further cautioned against any actions that could lead to violence, urging Adeleke to uphold the rule of law and maintain peace in the state.

Meanwhile, a High Court in Ilesa, also on Friday, gave the state’s electoral body Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSSIEC), the go-ahead to conduct the polls, urging the security agencies to ensure adequate security.

The court directed OSSIEC to conduct elections to fill the vacant positions of local government chairmen and councillors in all the 30 local government areas as well as local council development areas (LCDAs) in the state.

The order issued by Justice A. Aderibigbe on Friday, February 21, 2025, followed a suit filed before the court by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) against OSIEC and its Chairman, Hashim Abioye.

But while the APC claimed that the verdict of the court reinstated its officials that were sacked, Governor Ademola Adeleke, and the ruling PDP denied the claim.

Some APC political functionaries however, have since resumed at the secretariats of about 14 local government areas.

Osun State Government has, however, insisted on proceeding with the scheduled local government elections slated for Saturday against the position of the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, who warned against holding the elections until after the expiration of the tenure of supposedly reinstated local government chairmen later this year.

Recall that violence erupted in the state on Monday following the interpretations of the ruling of the Court of Appeal of February 10 on the tenure of local government chairmen elected on the platform of APC.