The Osun state lawmakers in the national assembly have accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Gboyega Oyetola, minister of marine and blue economy, of causing political tension in the state.
Addressing a press conference on behalf of the caucus comprising three senators and nine members of the house of representatives, Bamidele Salam representing Ede north, Ede south, Egbedore, and Ejigbo federal constituency, said local government chairpersons sacked by the court, are illegally attempting to return to office.
Salam said the action of the politicians, allegedly backed by the APC and Oyetola, is a breach of the judgement of the court sacking them from office.
The legislator said two separate federal high court judgments previously nullified the 2022 local government elections, one following a suit filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the other by the Action Peoples Party (APP).
He said while the APC appealed the PDP’s judgment, the court of appeal in Akure struck it out on technical grounds.
However, the appeal against the APP judgment was dismissed, meaning that the ruling removing the council officials remains valid.
The lawmaker alleged that Oyetola, a former governor of Osun state, and APC leaders in the state colluding with heads of security agencies to return the former local government chairpersons to office.
“Today, the people of Osun woke up to a criminal take-over of the local government secretariats across Osun state by these sacked officials who forcefully broke into the premises of the councils, aided by thugs and hooligans who have been shooting sporadically, wreaking havoc on the people of the state, thereby breaking law and order,” he said.
“Sadly, this is being perpetrated with the support of some security personnel, relying on a different court judgement, despite a subsisting court judgement which upheld the nullification of their purported election.
“The general public is aware that there were two different federal high court judgements on the said local government election of 2022. One of the judgements was on the suit filed by the PDP which sacked the products of the 2022 local government polls, while the other judgment was on the suit filed by the APP which equally sacked them.
“The two cases were filed differently at different times and in the exercise of the fundamental rights of each of the political parties (PDP and APP) to challenge the propriety or otherwise of the Local Government poll so conducted in the court of competent jurisdiction.
“Although APC appealed the federal high court judgment obtained by the PDP on the said case, the court of appeal, Akure, on 10th day of February, 2025 struck out the judgement earlier obtained by the PDP at the federal high court on technical/jurisdictional ground that the originating process of the PDP was filed before the notice of election was published by Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSSIEC).
“The court of appeal which equally lacked the jurisdiction to determine the merit of the suit based on the lack of jurisdiction by the federal high court refused to go into the merit of the case and made no order reinstating the sacked local government chairmen and councillors.
“However, the appeal by the APC against the favourable judgememt obtained by the APP at the federal high court was dismissed by the same court of appeal, Akure, on the 13th day of January 2025 for lack of diligent prosecution which makes the judgment of the APP still subsisting and alive.
“Thus, the subsisting judgement of the APP affirms the sacking of these officials and APC is bound by the same. It is important for us to establish that the suits filed by the PDP and the APP were not consolidated at any point in time and the judgement obtained in one cannot affect the other.”
“Interestingly, the APC realises the serious implication and the binding effect of the favourable judgement in favour of the APP at the court of appeal against it as a party. The party, APC, has therefore since returned to the court of appeal to reopen the appeal of the party which was dismissed on the 13th day of January 2025.”
Salam said the APC needs to wait till the appeal on the judgement of the APP is finally determined by the apex court and should “stop blowing hot and cold at the same time”.
“It is inexplicable that the APC which is pursuing the judgement of the APP on one hand is also seeking illegal execution of another judgement on the other hand,” the lawmaker said.
Salam said this political tension could lead to a breakdown of law and order in the state, “thereby causing chaos and mayhem”.
He said the “desperate acts contradict common sense” because the APC hopefuls have purchased forms and are campaigning ahead of the LG polls scheduled to take place on February 22.
Salam called on President Bola Tinubu to take urgent action by directing the police to restore law and order in the state.
Senators in the caucus include Akogun Olalere Oyewumi, Francis Fadahunsi, and Olubiyi Fadeyi Ajagunnla.
Members of house are Oluwole Oke, Taofeek Ajilesoro, Clement Olohunwa, Soji Adetunji, Adebayo Adewale, Mudashiru Lukman, Lanre Oladebo, and Sanya Omirin
