Notwithstanding the differences between the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Governor Ademola Adeleke has declared that Saturday’s local government elections in Osun State will go ahead as planned.
The governor’s spokesperson, Mallam Olawale Rasheed, released a statement on Friday outlining the governor’s stance.
The announcement comes after a recent Court of Appeal decision that reinstated local government officials backed by the APC who had been fired by the state administration. The court’s ruling exacerbated the two main parties’ disagreements over who should run the local governments.
Governor Adeleke had been warned by Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) Lateef Fagbemi earlier Thursday not to hold the election. He maintained that the Court of Appeal’s decision to reinstate the fired local government officials meant that their terms remained in effect until October 2025. Another election would be unconstitutional, according to Fagbemi.
“His Excellency has insisted that a new Local Government election be held on Saturday, February 22, 2025, despite the Court of Appeal’s ruling mentioned above, which effectively means that the elected officials’ terms of office have regained currency and will naturally run out in October 2025,” he said. Since the elected officials’ terms of office, which were recently restored by the Court of Appeal’s ruling, will remain in effect until October 2025, any such election that is held would not only be void but also constitute a flagrant violation of the Constitution, which Governor Adeleke has vowed to protect. Once more, the Supreme Court’s recent ruling, which upheld and strengthened local government autonomy, reinforces Governor Adeleke’s duty to facilitate a peaceful, orderly transition between elected officials within the three-year legislatively mandated term.
As a result, Governor Adeleke should strongly advise the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSIEC) to put off holding any local government elections at this time.
Governor Adeleke, however, informed the public that the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSSIEC) was absolutely ready for the elections while meeting with a delegation of civil society organizations in Osogbo.
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“I greet everyone in Osun State. The people here are ready for tomorrow’s elections. They long to be the ones chosen to serve as council members and chairmen.
Additionally, based on the reports I have access to, OSIEC has performed an excellent preliminary job. The statement cited the governor as telling the visiting activists, “I think there will be a level playing field for all to test their popularity with the masses, as several political parties are participating.”
Respect democratic standards, I advise all parties, including national and local stakeholders. In my case and that of my people, we support the rule of law rather than illega self-help.
There will be an election, and the result will be a rapid development at the municipal level. I demand that our people maintain their peace. “The state of Osun is genuinely tranquil,” Governor Adeleke continued.
