The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), has urged Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, to call off Saturday’s local government elections, warning that the poll would be unconstitutional and invalid.
In a statement issued on Thursday, Fagbemi emphasised that conducting the election would breach the Constitution, as the tenure of the allegedly sacked local government officials remains valid according to a recent Court of Appeal ruling.
The judgement, delivered on February 10, 2025, restored the ousted chairmen, rendering any new election unnecessary and unlawful.
The political crisis in Osun State, sparked by a dispute between the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC), has escalated into violence. Six people, including an APC leader, were killed earlier this week.
Fagbemi called on Governor Adeleke to respect the law and avoid further violence, urging him to prevent any actions that could exacerbate tensions in the state.
He also referenced the recent Supreme Court ruling on local government autonomy, reinforcing the legal obligation to respect the tenure of elected officials until October 2025.
In a swift rebuttal, a civil society group, Osun Democrats for Democracy (ODD), rejected the AGF’s call, accusing him of overstepping his authority.
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The group argued that only a court could stop the election and criticised Fagbemi for failing to mention an earlier judgement that dismissed APC council candidates.
Meanwhile, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, dismissed allegations of bias regarding the security situation in Osun, stressing that the deployment of additional forces was in response to requests from local authorities.
The crisis has prompted calls for intervention from the PDP Governors’ Forum, which condemned the violence and called for a return to peace and the rule of law. However, the APC has asked President Bola Tinubu to intervene and prevent the election, citing the Court of Appeal’s ruling that reinstated the APC chairmen.
Governor Adeleke has urged voters to participate peacefully in the upcoming election, assuring residents that security measures are in place to ensure a safe and orderly process.
