Armed police officers took strategic positions at multiple local government secretariats across Osun State on Tuesday, as uncertainty loomed over the tenure of elected local government officials.
The heightened security presence followed a controversial Court of Appeal ruling in Akure, which on Monday upheld an appeal by sacked local government chairmen and councillors elected under the All Progressives Congress (APC) in October 2022.
While the ruling has been celebrated by APC members as a victory reinstating their officials, the Osun State Government argues otherwise, maintaining that the court did not explicitly order their return to office.
This legal ambiguity has fueled tension, prompting security agencies to act swiftly.
At the Osogbo LG secretariat in Oke Baale, police officers, assisted by members of the National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), carefully screened individuals entering the premises.
Confirming the deployment, Osun State Police Public Relations Officer, Yemisi Opalola, described the move as precautionary, stating:
“We do not want any breakdown of law and order. The deployment is related to the recent appeal court judgment on the last local government election. We have not received any court order, but we are closely monitoring the situation to ensure peace.”
The case dates back to November 2022, when Justice Nathaniel Ayo-Emmanuel of the Osogbo Federal High Court nullified the election that brought the APC officials to power.
Monday’s appellate court decision, however, has been interpreted in two starkly different ways.
APC’s Position: The ruling reinstates the sacked chairmen and councillors.
Osun Government’s Stand: The judgment does not mandate reinstatement; it merely dismissed the PDP’s challenge on technical grounds.
Osun State Attorney General, Oluwole Jimi-Bada, reinforced this stance, explaining:
“The court did not examine the merits of the APC’s appeal but merely ruled that the PDP’s suit against the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission was premature. It did not order that the sacked chairmen be reinstated. Nowhere in the ruling was such a statement made.”
With tension brewing, the Osun State Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, warned against any unlawful attempts to reclaim office, urging all parties to remain peaceful.
“Security agencies have been directed to maintain peace, and we advise against any actions that could disrupt public order,” Alimi stated.
