The dispute over local government administration in Osun State has intensified, with the state government and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) dismissing claims by the All Progressives Congress (APC) that its sacked council chairmen still have a right to remain in office. According to recent court developments, the APC’s position on the councils lacks legal backing.
Governor Ademola Adeleke has restated his accusation against Blue Economy Minister Adegboyega Oyetola, alleging that he is masterminding the Osun local government crisis. The governor asserts that the self-awarded tenure of APC chairmen lapsed in 2025 and cannot be elongated under the law and Supreme Court precedents. He questioned the authority under which Oyetola and his cronies are disbursing funds meant for salaries of local government workers.
The Osun State Government has drawn attention to proceedings at the Federal High Court in Osogbo concerning a suit filed by the APC on the issue of council tenure. The case was adjourned to March 4, 2026, following the absence of APC lawyers in court. The government is concerned that the APC continues to rely on a pending court case to justify remaining in council offices.
The PDP has reacted to a press conference addressed by the Osun APC leadership, saying the opposition party is attempting to justify an expired and unlawful occupation of council secretariats across the state. The PDP maintains that the APC chairmen had no valid mandate from the outset and insists that their election had been nullified by the courts before Governor Ademola Adeleke assumed office.
The APC has responded, accusing Governor Adeleke of lying against his predecessor on issues relating to the current impasse in the local government administration in Osun. The party’s statement described Adeleke’s claims as “nothing more than a desperate attempt to deflect attention from his glaring incompetence and serial abuse of the judicial process.”
The situation in Osun requires adherence to the rule of law to prevent further tension at the grassroots. The PDP has called on President Bola Tinubu to intervene by urging party members in Osun to respect court decisions and allow due process to run its course. The dispute is expected to continue, with the state government and the PDP pushing for the APC to vacate the council offices and the APC insisting on its right to remain in office pending the outcome of the court case.
