The Osun State Independent Electoral Commission has insisted that the February 22 local government election in the state will proceed as planned, despite opposition from the sacked council chairmen of the All Progressives Congress.
Speaking at a press conference in Osogbo on Monday, OSSIEC Chairman, Mr. Hashim Abioye, clarified that the recent judgment by the Court of Appeal, Akure Division, which ruled in favour of the APC-elected chairmen and councillors from the October 15, 2022 local government elections, did not include a specific order reinstating them to office.
Abioye explained that while the Court of Appeal ruled that the case brought by the Peoples Democratic Party against the elected APC officials was speculative, the court did not overturn the Federal High Court’s earlier decision that had nullified the election.
Citing another verdict by the Court of Appeal, Akure, Abioye referenced a case filed by the APC, Allied People’s Movement, and one other person, which was dismissed on January 13, 2025, after the appellants abandoned their appeal.
He stated:“Today, the Court of Appeal struck out the suit filed by the PDP to challenge the conduct of the Osun State local government election in 2022. However, the same Court of Appeal also dismissed an appeal filed by the APC and APM against the judgment that nullified the election.”
Abioye emphasised that the Court of Appeal did not issue any order reinstating the sacked APC chairmen and councillors and that, legally, the 30 Local Government Areas in Osun State remain vacant.
“To this effect, there is no order returning any purported elected officials of the APC to office. In particular, there is no order stopping the conduct of the election already scheduled for February 22, 2025.”
Reacting to Abioye’s position, the Legal Adviser of Osun APC, Adegoke Ogunsola, argued that the Court of Appeal’s ruling had effectively nullified the Federal High Court’s decision that removed the APC chairmen and councillors from office.
In a statement, Ogunsola said:“Our attention has been drawn to a miscarriage issued by Mr. Hashim Abioye, the purported Chairman of OSSIEC, who has been captured by the PDP-led government in Osun State.”
He accused Abioye of misrepresenting the Court of Appeal’s ruling to justify the planned election, arguing that the APC-elected chairmen and councillors still had valid tenure.
“The Court of Appeal, in unmistakable language, nullified the decision of the Federal High Court, which wrongly removed the elected Local Government Chairmen and Councillors from office. In the circumstance, no local government election can be held by the compromised OSSIEC in February 2025 to overreach the decision of the Court of Appeal.”
Ogunsola urged the public to disregard Abioye’s statement and respect the sanctity of the court’s decision.