The All Progressives Congress (APC) has called on the Nigerian government to allocate funds solely to “democratically elected” and “judicially certified” local government officials in Osun State.
The appeal follows the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) sweeping all 30 local government areas (LGAs) and 332 wards in a contentious election held on Saturday.
Disputed Election and Legal Controversy
The election was fraught with violence, disputes, and legal battles, as sacked APC chairpersons sought reinstatement based on a court ruling.
The PDP argued that the Court of Appeal’s ruling on February 10 in Akure, Ondo State, did not restore the dismissed chairpersons and councillors elected in 2022, while the APC maintained it did.
On February 20, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, advised Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke to instruct the state electoral commission to halt the election.
Fagbemi contended that the sacked chairpersons must be reinstated, as the Court of Appeal had overturned the lower court’s decision that led to their removal.
Despite this, Adeleke proceeded with the election as planned. The APC and Labour Party withdrew from the polls, while the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) called for its suspension due to security concerns.
The Osun State High Court in Osogbo later ordered the State Independent Electoral Commission (OSIEC) to conduct the election.
APC Condemns Poll as “Illegal and Unconstitutional”
In a statement, APC National Spokesperson Felix Morka denounced the election as a “disgraceful sham — illegal and unconstitutional.”
Morka accused Adeleke and the PDP of disregarding the rule of law and the Court of Appeal’s judgment, questioning why the governor had failed to comply with the reinstatement order.
“Why is the governor and his PDP so intent on taking matters into their own hands in defiance of a valid Court of Appeal judgement? Why is Governor Adeleke so determined to incite anarchy in Osun State with impunity?” the statement read.
Morka further described the election as a “reckless waste of public funds and an irresponsible incitement to further violence.”
APC Calls for FG’s Intervention
The APC urged the federal government to ensure that federal allocations are only provided to legally recognised local government officials.
“Governor Adeleke has a constitutional duty to respect and uphold the laws of the land, including implementing binding court judgments, regardless of his personal or political preferences,” the statement added.
The party also called on local government workers in Osun to discharge their duties peacefully while recognising the authority of the “judicially reinstated chairmen and councillors.”
