Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State has strongly criticised the continued illegal occupation of local government secretariats by former All Progressives Congress (APC) chairmen and councillors, describing it as a brazen contempt of court orders and an assault on democratic principles.
In a statewide broadcast delivered on 26 January 2026, Governor Adeleke accused the sacked officials of defying multiple court rulings that nullified their 2022 elections.
The Federal High Court in Osogbo invalidated the polls in November 2022 for violating legal requirements, a decision upheld by the Court of Appeal on 10 February 2025 and again on 13 June 2025.
The governor emphasised that he did not remove the APC officials; the courts did. He stated that since the initial ruling, they have held no lawful mandate.
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Despite this, they have refused to vacate the secretariats, allegedly with protection from the Nigerian Police Force under instructions from former Governor Gboyega Oyetola.
In compliance with subsisting court directives, the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission conducted fresh local government elections on 22 February 2025, following the required 360-day notice period.
The newly elected chairmen and councillors were sworn in the following day and remain the only legitimate local government leadership in the state.
Governor Adeleke highlighted that Nigerian law prohibits tenure elongation for elected officials beyond their stipulated term.
Citing the Supreme Court precedent in the case of former Oyo State Governor Rasheed Ladoja, he noted that no extension is permissible even for periods of wrongful removal.
Public court filings, including those before the Supreme Court, reportedly show the APC officials and the Attorney-General of the Federation acknowledging that any claimed tenure expired on 22 October 2025.
The governor revealed that the former officials had sought a tenure extension in the Federal High Court an action he interpreted as an admission that their tenure had lapsed.
Yet, they persist in occupying the secretariats through force, backed by police and thugs.
Recent attempts by local government workers to resume duties met with violence, including beatings and intimidation, despite initial police assurances of protection.
Adeleke accused the APC figures of provoking chaos to justify a potential state of emergency and suspension of his administration.
He claimed they have threatened on social media to hold the secretariats indefinitely, citing Oyetola’s backing.
The governor also decried the withholding of over ₦130 billion in statutory local government allocations since February 2025, allegedly facilitated by former Governor Oyetola through directives to the Nigerian Police and United Bank for Africa (UBA).
He questioned UBA’s role in allowing unauthorised signatories to access accounts, contrasting it with the bank’s adherence to laws in jurisdictions like New York and London.
These funds, he said, are vital for salaries of primary school teachers, health workers, local government staff, and retirees.
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His administration has borrowed to cover these payments for nearly a year, at significant sacrifice to state projects and officials’ allowancesa measure he described as unsustainable.
Adeleke appealed to President Bola Tinubu to intervene, insisting the president is not complicit and that his name is being misused.
He urged restraint on Oyetola from issuing alleged illegal directives and called on Nigerians to defend constitutional order against impunity.
The governor appealed for continued peace and prayers, reaffirming his commitment to upholding the rule of law and protecting citizens’ welfare.
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