The political battle over local government leadership in Osun State has escalated into a fresh legal confrontation. Reinstated executives of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have filed a lawsuit against the Federal Government, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), and the Osun State Government, seeking to secure their tenure until February 2028.
How the Crisis Began
The dispute traces back to October 2022, when APC officials were elected as council chairmen. Shortly after, a Federal Court nullified their election, prompting Governor Ademola Adeleke to remove them from office.
In February 2025, however, the Court of Appeal reinstated the APC executives. But before the dust settled, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) held fresh local government elections on February 22, 2025, and swore in its candidates as council executives. This created a dual leadership situation, with both APC and PDP laying claim to control.
Fallout and Strike Action
The leadership tussle triggered a strike by members of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE). In addition, federal allocations to local councils were frozen, deepening the paralysis at the grassroots level.
The Fresh Court Battle
In a new suit filed at the Federal High Court, Osogbo (Suit No: FHC/OS/CS/147/2025), counsel Muhideen Adeoye, representing APC chairmen including Saheed Onibonokuta and seven others, argued that their tenure should be calculated from February 2025, when they were finally inaugurated—not from October 2022 when they were elected but barred from office.
The claimants are demanding an extension of their term until February 19, 2028.
Defendants in the Case
The lawsuit names the following as defendants:
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Attorney General of the Federation
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Inspector General of Police
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Osun State Governor
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Osun State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice
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Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSSIEC)
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Osun State House of Assembly
What the APC Chairmen Want
The chairmen insist that:
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Fresh elections conducted in February 2025 were unconstitutional since their tenure had just begun.
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OSSIEC had no authority to organize elections or swear in new officials during their subsisting tenure.
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Any attempt to remove them before 2028 would be an abuse of due process and a violation of their constitutional rights.
They also urged the court to:
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Direct the Attorney General and IGP to guarantee their security until 2028.
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Stop Governor Adeleke, OSSIEC, and the State Assembly from interfering with their tenure in October 2025 or any time before its expiration.
A Prolonged Political Standoff
This lawsuit marks yet another twist in the long-running battle for control of Osun’s local councils, which has pitted the APC against the PDP-led state government since 2022.
The outcome of this case could reshape the future of local governance in Osun and may even set a precedent for similar disputes across Nigeria.
