To avert the looming chaos in Osun State fueled by the escalating tension over which party controls its 30 local governments, the state’s assembly has passionately appealed for President Bola Tinubu’s urgent intervention.
In fact, it raised the alarm that the situation has now reached a dangerous tipping point, threatening the foundations of grassroots democracy and constitutional governance.
Against this backdrop, the assembly, at a heated plenary on Thursday in Osogbo passed a critical resolution affirming that only the chairmen and councillors elected during the February 22, 2025, local government elections are legally recognized and should be allowed to perform their duties.
It passed the resolution after prolonged deliberations by members of the House over what they described as an orchestrated attempt by individuals to destabilize the system through illegal claims to office.
Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Wale Egbedun, who read the resolution to the chamber, described those attempting to assume office based on a recent Court of Appeal ruling as impostors and enemies of democracy.
He reiterated that the House stands solidly behind the outcome of the February elections, which he said were conducted in full compliance with constitutional and electoral guidelines.
“The only democratically elected officials in Osun State’s local government system are those who emerged victorious in the February 22, 2025 elections,” Egbedun stated firmly. “Anyone else parading themselves as chairmen or councillors is doing so unlawfully and should be treated accordingly.”
The Speaker also accused certain political actors of exploiting judicial ambiguities to fuel instability and challenged President Tinubu to act swiftly to protect the sanctity of the constitution and democratic institutions.
Lawmakers in the Assembly laid the blame squarely at the feet of former Governor Gboyega Oyetola, alleging that his administration conducted a flawed and hurried local government election in October 2022.
According to the Assembly, the controversial election gave rise to a parallel structure of council officials under the banner of the All Progressives Congress (APC), thereby triggering a long-running political stalemate.
Legislators argued that the 2022 election violated the Electoral Act by being announced with just 60 days’ notice rather than the constitutionally required 90 days. The result, they claimed, was a wave of confusion, legal battles, and a crisis of legitimacy at the grassroots level.
Hon. Jeremiah Abiola, representing Ife South Constituency, was among those who issued a direct call to the President.
He appealed to Tinubu to demonstrate leadership and provide a federal framework for resolving the impasse, warning that failure to act could plunge the state’s local government administration into chaos.
Adding to the gravity of the situation, the Assembly condemned the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation for what it described as a lack of transparency and failure to address the matter with the urgency it requires.
Lawmakers also criticized recent actions by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), accusing it of attempting to open new local government accounts without due consultation with the state government—a move they described as unconstitutional and financially reckless.
The House maintained that, pending the resolution of the crisis, only the Secretaries and Heads of Administration in each local government are legally empowered to act as signatories to the accounts.
This, they said, is necessary to prevent financial misconduct and protect public funds from being misappropriated by individuals without a legal mandate.
“The February 22 chairmen and councillors are the only constitutional custodians of local government administration in Osun State,” the resolution concluded. “Any other claim to authority is not only illegitimate but a direct affront to the rule of law, and must be treated as such.”
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSSIEC), Barrister Hashim Abioye, has weighed in on the controversy, reaffirming the Commission’s position that the 2022 local government elections remain null and void.
Speaking at a press conference in Osogbo on Wednesday, Abioye made it clear that OSSIEC does not recognize the 2022 elections as valid, citing a Federal High Court ruling from November 30, 2022, which invalidated the exercise. According to him, this judgment was later upheld by the Court of Appeal on January 13 and again on June 13, 2025.
“By the effect of these judgments, all those who claim to have been elected in the 2022 local government elections remain sacked,” Abioye stated. “OSSIEC withdrew their Certificates of Return following the court’s 2022 judgment, and there has been no legal basis whatsoever to reinstate those documents.”
He added that the February 2025 elections were conducted in strict compliance with all relevant electoral laws and constitutional provisions. Those elections, he said, produced the only set of local government officials who possess the legal mandate to govern. Their Certificates of Return were issued and remain unchallenged by any court of law.
Abioye also condemned what he described as the “forceful re-entry” of sacked officials into local council offices, calling such acts “brigandage and lawlessness” that have no place in a civilized democracy.
“The law is clear, and the judgments are unambiguous,” Abioye insisted. “The people of Osun State deserve peace and lawful representation at the grassroots. Any attempt to disrupt that must be resisted with the full weight of the law.”
As the standoff continues, pressure is mounting on the federal government to step in and restore order before the conflict spirals further out of control. With the Assembly, electoral commission, and several political stakeholders unified in their position, all eyes are now on President Tinubu to provide the leadership needed to end the crisis and safeguard democracy in Osun State.
