OSUN APC, PDP CLASH OVER LOCAL GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT OCCUPANCY

The controversy over local government council secretariats in Osun State has deepened, with the APC and PDP trading allegations over the legality of officeholders.
Speaking on the matter, the PDP alleged that in 2022, the Federal High Court nullified purported local government elections conducted by the APC-led administration, sacking all APC chairmen and councillors for failing to meet legal requirements. The decision, they said, was upheld on appeal, with the Court of Appeal affirming the ruling on June 13, 2025.
PDP spokesperson, Olanrewaju, claimed that despite the court rulings, the sacked officials refused to vacate office, allegedly occupying local government secretariats with armed police protection. He described the situation as “illegal and unconstitutional” and called on security agencies to refrain from actions that promote lawlessness.
Aligning with this view, Osun PDP Director of Media, Oladele Bamiji, urged President Bola Tinubu to intervene, warning that the continued occupation of secretariats by tenure-expired officials could threaten democratic governance. “They were sacked by the court yet refuse to leave, with the Osun Police Command reportedly aiding them,” he said.
Responding, Osun APC spokesperson Kola Olabisi dismissed the allegations as “gross misinformation,” insisting the chairmen were legally reinstated by a Court of Appeal judgment delivered on February 10, 2025, which he said was not appealed. Olabisi also noted that a suit is currently pending at the Federal High Court in Osogbo to determine the tenure of the reinstated chairmen and whether fresh elections can be conducted during the subsistence of their term.
The dispute highlights ongoing tensions over local government administration in Osun State, with both parties standing firm on their interpretation of the law.