Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has asserted that the recent Supreme Court ruling on the Rivers State local government election confirms the illegality of the local government election conducted by the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State.
He emphasized that the ruling reaffirms the election was held in violation of the Electoral Act, rendering it null and void. According to the governor, the judgment underscores that there is no legal basis for the APC-backed local government chairmen to remain in office.
Adeleke made these remarks while addressing the Council of Traditional Rulers at the Finance Building in Abere, Osogbo, where he reiterated his commitment to keeping royal fathers informed about governance matters in the state.
Referring to the Akure Appeal Court ruling, Adeleke noted that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had no grounds for an appeal to the Supreme Court since the judgment did not include a consequential order and dismissed the reinstatement request as an academic exercise.
He further explained that a Federal High Court had already removed the local government chairmen from office in October 2022, while his predecessor was still in power. He assumed office in November 2022, making it crucial to understand the sequence of events.
“The Supreme Court ruling on the Rivers local government election has clearly confirmed that the Osun Yes/No election was conducted in violation of the Electoral Act and therefore remains null and void. The latest judgment of the apex court affirms that there is no legal ground for the Yes/No chairmen to continue illegally occupying the secretariats,” Adeleke stated.
Addressing the traditional rulers, he stressed that the facts were clear and that the Supreme Court ruling in Rivers validated the Federal High Court’s decision that had earlier removed the Osun local government officials elected in violation of the Electoral Act.
In response, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, speaking on behalf of the traditional rulers, assured the governor that the royal council would not support any form of violence that could disrupt the peace of Osun State.
“We are also not happy with the LG crisis in the state. We abhor violence, and Osun is a peaceful state—a status that must be maintained irrespective of the issues in contention,” Ogunwusi said.