The All Progressives Congress (APC) has pulled out of the Osun State local government elections set for Saturday, February 22, citing a recent Court of Appeal judgment that reinstated its previously elected chairmen and councillors.
The decision was conveyed in a statement signed by the APC State Publicity Secretary, Alao Kamorudeen, and addressed to the Secretary of the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSSIEC) on February 17, according to the News Agency of Nigeria.
The statement referenced the February 10 ruling by the Court of Appeal in Akure, which overturned an earlier Federal High Court decision that had nullified the APC-led local government administration.
“By the judgment, the elected officers have resumed offices as allowed by the Appeal Court,” the statement read.
“The implication of the Court of Appeal judgment is that the seats are no longer vacant. In view of this, APC and all its candidates withdraw from the local government election, as it has become unnecessary, superfluous, and unlawful.”
However, the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has rejected this interpretation, maintaining that the court did not reinstate APC’s local government officials.
Governor Ademola Adeleke accused former Governor Gboyega Oyetola and other APC stalwarts of orchestrating a “forceful and violent takeover” of local governments in the state.
He also criticized the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, for allegedly enabling “lawlessness” in Osun’s local government areas.
“It is unfortunate and a disservice to democracy that the Inspector-General of Police is colluding with the APC to enforce a non-existent court order,” Adeleke said through his spokesperson, Mallam Olawale Rasheed.
“This is a serious threat to democracy in Nigeria.”
Political Tensions Escalate Amid Forceful Takeovers
The crisis deepened on Wednesday when the Chairman of Ife-Central Local Government, Olayera Elugbaju, and his supporters stormed the council secretariat, defying a restraining order from Governor Adeleke.
Videos obtained by SaharaReporters showed Elugbaju and his loyalists celebrating and chanting APC slogans as they insisted on resuming official duties, further escalating tensions.
The conflict follows the controversial Court of Appeal ruling on February 10, 2025, which dismissed a PDP case challenging the October 15, 2022, local government elections that had favoured the APC. The ruling emboldened the sacked APC chairmen and councillors to reclaim their positions, leading to violent clashes between APC and PDP supporters.
The political unrest took a deadly turn on February 17, 2025, when Remi Abass, the reinstated Chairman of Irewole Local Government, was killed. Abass was reportedly attacked by armed men suspected to be political thugs as he arrived at the local government secretariat in Ikire with his supporters.
The assailants opened fire, killing him on the spot, triggering widespread unrest in the area.
With tensions at an all-time high, the political landscape in Osun State remains volatile as both parties continue to dispute the court ruling and its implications for local governance.
