Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State on Thursday convened a special briefing session with the Osun State Council of Traditional Rulers, emphasizing that no court order has reinstated the council chairmen removed by a prior court ruling.
The session was part of the governor’s ongoing consultations with elders and opinion leaders regarding the recent tensions surrounding local government leadership. It followed his visit to visit to Chief Bisi Akande at his Ibadan residence.
Presided over by the Ooni of Ife, Arole Oodua, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi, the meeting was attended by top traditional rulers. During the session, Commissioners for Justice, Jimi Wole Bada, and Information, Kolapo Alimi, presented four court judgments to demonstrate that the rulings removing the chairmen remain valid and enforceable.
Governor Adeleke, in a document shared among the monarchs, expressed gratitude that statesmanship and divine intervention had prevented a major crisis in Osun.
He cautioned against misinformation and underscored the importance of clarity in understanding the situation.
Providing a detailed background, he recalled that after defeating Gboyega Oyetola in the July 2022 election, the previous administration quickly organized a local government election. The process was legally challenged by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Action Peoples Party (APP). The Federal High Court ruled that the election process was flawed and declared it null and void, ordering the removal of those elected.
Regarding the appeal against the APP judgment, he explained that the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) initially filed an appeal but did not actively pursue it, leading to its dismissal. As a result, the original ruling sacking the council chairmen remains in effect.
Governor Adeleke also addressed the APC vs. PDP case at the Court of Appeal, explaining that the court struck out the case without issuing any consequential orders. He emphasized that the 53-page judgment did not contain any directive for reinstating the sacked officials.
The governor accused certain APC elements of attempting to destabilize the state by unlawfully seizing local government offices. He condemned what he described as an orchestrated attempt to incite violence, which resulted in the loss of seven lives and multiple injuries. He noted that, despite his public appeal and security alerts, the crisis escalated due to inaction by law enforcement agencies.
Governor Adeleke further criticized statements from the Attorney General of the Federation and the Inspector General of Police, which he claimed wrongly advised compliance with a non-existent reinstatement order. He highlighted a subsequent Osun State High Court ruling that authorized fresh local government elections to fill the vacancies created by the sacked officials.
The governor asserted that the recently conducted elections were valid and aligned with legal provisions. However, he instructed the newly elected council officials to refrain from entering the secretariats until legal processes were completed. He reiterated his administration’s commitment to upholding the rule of law rather than resorting to force.
He disclosed that local government workers and the newly elected officials had initiated legal proceedings against those occupying the council offices illegally and expressed confidence that the courts would uphold justice.
Governor Adeleke questioned why the APC had abandoned its appeal against the APP judgment and failed to escalate the matter to the Supreme Court. He pointed out that the Court of Appeal ruling in Akure provided no basis for the PDP to seek further redress, as no consequential orders had been issued.
He also referenced a recent Supreme Court judgment on the Rivers State local government election, which reinforced the principle that elections conducted in violation of the Electoral Act are null and void. This, he argued, further invalidated the claims of the sacked chairmen.
Concluding his address, Governor Adeleke urged the traditional rulers to educate their communities on the facts to prevent the spread of misinformation. He emphasized the importance of protecting Osun from political manipulations that could destabilize the state.
The royal fathers expressed their appreciation for the governor’s clarifications and pledged to educate their subjects while also conveying the message to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
