The Federal Government has advised Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State to postpone the Local Government elections scheduled for Saturday, February 22, 2025.
This follows the recent Court of Appeal ruling, which reaffirmed the tenure of elected local government officials, stating that their term will run until October 2025.
The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Lateef Fagbemi, addressed the ongoing crisis, highlighting concerns over misinterpretations of the Appeal Court’s decision.
Fagbemi explained that during former Governor Adegboyega Oyetola’s tenure, local government elections were held, and winners were sworn in.
However, just before Governor Adeleke took office, a Federal High Court ruling nullified the election and removed the elected officials. Upon assuming office, Adeleke issued an executive order replacing them with caretaker appointees.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) later appealed the ruling, and on February 10, 2025, the Court of Appeal overturned the Federal High Court’s decision, restoring the elected officials to office.
The AGF stressed that Governor Adeleke must respect the court’s ruling, as the elected officials’ tenure remains valid until October 2025. Holding new elections, he warned, would be unconstitutional and a violation of local government autonomy.
He urged Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSIEC) to suspend the planned elections to avoid legal and political conflicts.
