Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke
Osun State Government has asked the Federal Government to recognise the local government chairmen and councilors recently elected on the platform of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
Presently, the chairmen elected during the immediate past All Progressives Congress, APC, administration of Mr. Gboyega Oyetola, now a minister, are occupying the councils secretariats on the premise of a court judgement which purportedly declared them as the valid occupants of the offices.
Specifically, the request by the PDP state government led by the incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke, was contained in a formal letter to the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), and and the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Yemi Cardoso. urging the Federal Government to recognize its newly elected local government chairmen and councilors.
The Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Alhaji Tesleem Igbalaye, signed the letter which was also addressed to the Accountant General of the Federation.
Meant as an official introduction of the newly sworn-in chairmen and councilors across the state’s 30 local government areas and area offices the letter also contained certified true copies of court judgments related to the lingering Osun local government dispute, highlighting the legal basis for recognizing the PDP-led councils.
The state government maintains that the 2022 local government election conducted by the former Governor Gboyega Oyetola administration was invalidated by a Federal High Court (FHC) ruling.
In the letter, the state government also emphasized that a subsisting judgment had removed the 2022 chairmen and councilors, making the February 22, 2025, local government election the only legally recognized process.
According to the letter: “Consequent upon the above, we humbly implore your good office to only recognise and deal with the Local Government Chairmen and Councillors who were validly elected into office by virtue of the fresh election conducted on 22nd February 2025, as the purported Chairmen and Councillors elected in 2022 have been validly removed from office by a subsisting judgment of the Federal High Court.”
Also, the letter listed the validly elected chairmen to recognise:
Following are the letters:
Boripe Local Government – Babalola Wasiu Kayode
Egbedore Local Government – Okunade Oluwafemi Adesanya
Ife Central Local Government – Adeyenuwo Rotimi John
Obokun Local Government – Agboola Francis Olajire
Isokan Local Government – Azeez Lateef Adeniran
Boluwaduro Local Government – Aina Abayomi Adesina
Ola Oluwa Local Government – Sodiq Samuel Oluwapelumi
Irepodun Local Government – Ajibade Oluwatosin Sikiru
Ilesa West Local Government – Adebanjo Oladiti Tumininu
Atakumosa East Local Government – Ibironke Alade Adegboye
Ife South Local Government – Aroke Muyiwa Aderemi
Olorunda Local Government – Kokade Obafemi Kolawole
Iwo Local Government – Moshood Adekunle Kabiru
Ifelodun Local Government – Arotunde Abiodun Sarafadeen
The development marks another twist in the ongoing Osun local government crisis, as political observers await the Federal Government’s response to the state’s request.
