OSOGBO, Nigeria — The Osun State chapter of the People’s Democratic Party-aligned Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) has strongly criticised a recent protest staged by council chairmen elected under the All Progressives Congress (APC), describing the action as inappropriate and potentially aimed at intimidating the judiciary.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the PDP-backed ALGON leadership rejected allegations by the APC chairmen that the state judiciary had flouted court orders in matters concerning local government administration. The APC council chairmen had on Wednesday organised a protest at the entrance of the Osun State High Court in Osogbo over the ongoing trial involving officials of a commercial bank linked to local government allocations.
During the demonstration, the protesters displayed placards bearing inscriptions such as “Say no to disobedience of court orders” and “Disrespect for court judgements is an invitation to anarchy.” Speaking for the demonstrators, Ejigbo Local Council Development Authority chairman, Kolapo Olayanju, accused the state judiciary and Governor Ademola Adeleke of disregarding legal directives.
However, the PDP ALGON leadership described the protest as embarrassing and questioned the motive behind the action. The statement, jointly signed by its chairman, Sarafa Awotunde, and secretary, Lukman Afolabi, alleged that the APC chairmen had remained in control of council administrations beyond their tenure.
According to the statement, “They have been occupying council offices for about 14 months after their tenure allegedly expired in October 2025 and have continued to collect funds meant for local governments.” The PDP group also questioned the decision of the APC chairmen to protest at the court premises instead of allowing due legal processes.
“Do they want to stampede the judiciary? If they are certain of their claims, they should allow the court of law to determine the matter,” the statement read.
The disagreement highlights the ongoing dispute between officials elected in the October 2022 local government elections and those elected in February 2025 over control of council areas in Osun State. The controversy has deepened tensions between the two major political parties in the state and raised concerns about the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary in local government administration.
As the legal battle continues, stakeholders are watching closely to see how the courts will resolve the dispute and what implications it may have for governance at the grassroots level in Osun State.
