A fresh lawsuit has been filed at the Federal High Court in Osogbo, Osun State, by reinstated executives of the All Progressives Congress (APC) against the Federal Government, the Inspector General of Police, and the Osun State Government. The officials, who were initially removed by Governor Ademola Adeleke after a Federal Court nullified their election in October 2022, were reinstated by the Court of Appeal Division in February 2025.
The lawsuit, with suit number FHC/OS/CS/147/2025, seeks an extension of their tenure until February 19, 2028. The claimants, represented by counsel Muhideen Adeoye, argue that their tenure should begin from the date they were inaugurated and assumed office in February 2025, not from October 2022. They maintain that the conduct of fresh local government elections in February 2025 was unlawful and an infringement on their constitutional right to a full term.
The defendants in the suit include the Attorney General of the Federation, the Inspector General of Police, the Osun State Governor, the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSSIEC), and the Osun State House of Assembly. The claimants are seeking a declaration that OSSIEC lacked authority to issue notices of polls, conduct elections, or swear in new council members during the pendency of their tenure.
The lawsuit is the latest development in the ongoing local government crisis in Osun State, which has been marked by a standoff between the APC, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and the state government. The crisis deepened after members of the PDP were sworn in as council executives following the local government elections held on February 22, 2025, despite the appellate court’s ruling reinstating the APC executives.
The Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) in Osun has embarked on a strike, while federal allocations to local councils remain frozen. The claimants are urging the court to direct the Attorney General of the Federation and the Inspector General of Police to provide security to guarantee their continued stay in office until February 2028. They are also seeking to restrain Governor Ademola Adeleke and other state authorities from removing them or interfering with their tenure before the natural expiration of their tenure.
The lawsuit marks a significant escalation in the crisis, which has been ongoing since 2022. The outcome of the case is expected to have far-reaching implications for the administration of local governments in Osun State and the ongoing political tensions between the APC and the PDP. As the case progresses, it is likely to attract close attention from stakeholders and observers, given its potential to shape the trajectory of the state’s local government administration.
