By John Dike, Osogbo
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State has warned of an alleged plan by supporters of Governor Ademola Adeleke and the Accord Party to forcefully occupy council secretariats despite a pending appeal and application for stay of execution against a recent Federal High Court judgment.
Imn a statement issued by its Director of Media and Information, Mogaji Kola Olabisi, it called on the Commissioner of Police and other security agencies to place the state on red alert and prevent any action capable of plunging Osun into violence.
According to the APC, comments credited to Governor Adeleke following the June 15 judgment, and similar remarks allegedly made by Osun State Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Christopher Arapasopo, could encourage attempts by PDP-elected local government chairmen and councillors to take over the council areas beginning Friday.
The party maintained that its reinstated local government chairmen had already approached the Court of Appeal and filed an application for stay of execution, arguing that the legal process should be allowed to run its full course.
“It is the law that once an appeal and an application for stay of execution have been filed, no party is allowed to proceed with the execution of such judgment,” the APC stated.
The opposition party alleged that members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), whom it claimed had aligned with the Accord Party, had been making threats to storm local government council headquarters across the state.
Warning against any breakdown of law and order, the APC urged security agencies to hold Governor Adeleke and labour leader Arapasopo responsible for any crisis arising from what it described as support for the “illegal sit-at-home chairmen.”
The party also recalled the killing of the Chairman of Irewole Local Government, Hon. Remi Abass, in Ikire last year, noting that suspects in the case are currently standing trial.
Meanwhile, counsel to the APC chairmen, Chief Kunle Adegoke (SAN), has formally written to the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, informing him that his clients had filed a notice of appeal against the judgment delivered by Justice Adefunmilola Demi-Ajayi of the Federal High Court, Osogbo.
In the letter dated June 17, Adegoke disclosed that a motion seeking stay of execution of the judgment had equally been filed before the trial court and was awaiting determination.
He urged the police authorities to refrain from taking any step that could amount to enforcing the judgment pending the outcome of the appeal, warning that such action could frustrate the appellate process and occasion a miscarriage of justice.
Citing the Court of Appeal decision in M.O. Kanu Sons & Co. v. First Bank of Nigeria Plc, the senior advocate argued that the power to grant stay of execution is intended to balance the rights of a successful litigant with those of an aggrieved party exercising its constitutional right of appeal.
The legal battle, which centres on Suit No. FHC/OS/CS/147/2025 involving Onibonokuta Saheed and seven others against the Attorney-General of the Federation and four others, has continued to generate political tension in the state.
