- demands FG enforces court orders, stops funding sacked APC officials
A leading pro-democracy and civil rights advocacy group, the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), on Tuesday protested in Abuja, demanding that the Federal Government immediately implements court rulings that sacked All Progressives Congress (APC) officials from local government councils in Osun State.
Its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, described the continued occupation of council secretariats by the APC officials as a brazen violation of multiple valid court judgments and a direct threat to democratic governance and the rule of law.
He told reporters, “Despite clear and binding court judgments, the APC officials continue to unlawfully occupy Local Government Council Secretariats in Osun State.
“They have no legal or electoral mandate and must vacate immediately”.
HURIWA called on the Federal Ministry of Finance to withhold all allocations to the ousted APC chairmen and councillors and instead redirect public funds to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) officials, who were duly elected on February 22, 2025, following a valid OSSIEC election notice dated February 19, 2024.
Onwubiko said, “We urge the Minister of Finance to respect the rule of law by halting the illegal funding of those who were removed by court judgments. These funds rightfully belong to the duly elected PDP officials.”
He stressed that failure to act in accordance with the law undermines public confidence in democratic institutions, and risks provoking further political instability.
The rights group also urged urgent coordination between the Ministries of Finance and Justice to enforce all outstanding judicial decisions, including those invalidating the controversial local government elections conducted by the APC on October 15, 2022.
“We call on the Minister of Justice to work with the Minister of Finance and relevant law enforcement agencies to enforce the judgments and ensure immediate removal of illegal officeholders from all council secretariats in Osun,” Onwubiko said.
HURIWA also addressed the alleged misinformation being circulated by the APC, clarifying that the Court of Appeal ruling delivered on February 10, 2025 in Appeal No: CA/AK/270/2022 did not reinstate the sacked APC officials.
He said, “The court merely struck out the PDP’s appeal on procedural grounds. It did not delve into the merits of the case, nor did it order the reinstatement of the removed APC chairmen and councillors. Any claim to the contrary is a gross misrepresentation of facts”.
He challenged the APC to produce any part of the judgment that explicitly ordered reinstatement, describing the party’s ongoing occupation of council offices as “deliberate misinformation and unlawful usurpation.”
HURIWA cited multiple judgments affirming the illegality of the APC’s October 2022 council elections. They include:
- The Federal High Court ruling of November 30, 2022 (Suit No: FHC/OS/CS/103/22), which nullified the APC-organized elections;
- The Court of Appeal’s dismissal of the APC’s appeal on January 13, 2025, for lack of diligent prosecution; and
- The subsequent rejection of the APC’s application for relisting on June 13, 2025.
Onwubiko said, “These judgments remain binding.
“Any continued occupation of local council offices by the sacked APC officials is a violation of the law”.
The group rounded up its protest at the Federal Ministry of Justice, calling on the Minister of Justice to issue clear directives to the Inspector-General of Police and other relevant agencies to enforce the judgments and evict all illegal officeholders.
Onwubiko warned, “We will not remain silent while court orders are ignored, and democracy is trampled upon. We demand immediate recognition and funding of the PDP chairmen and councillors who were lawfully elected. Anything short of this is an invitation to anarchy”.
