The Court of Appeal sitting in Akure has reinstated the elected local government chairmen and councilors sacked by Governor Ademola Adeleke.
The appellant court, in a judgment today, ordered the immediate resumption of office of the council officials who are all members of the All Progressives Congress, APC.
Meanwhile, the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission, OSSIEC, has filed an appeal against the Appeal Court judgment.
It should, however,be recalled that upon assumption into office in November 2022, Governor Adeleke sacked the local government officials after a High Court decision had earlier upturned their election.
Read Also: Osun Court adjourns suit stopping poll to Jan 17
The High Court sacked the council officials after their election which was organised by OSSIEC.
The Osun State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and other political parties had approached the High Court to challenge the council elections.
They prayed the court to declare the election nullity because it was only the APC candidates who contested vacant positions, and the ‘options given to them were either a YES or NO.’
In another development, OSSIEC in a statement signed by its Chairman, Hashim Abioye maintained that there is no court order returning any elected official into office, stressing that Local Government Election will hold on the 22nd of February, 2025.
He added that in specific terms, the thirty (30) Local Government Areas in Osun State remain vacant till date as there is a substituting decision of the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal against the All Progressives Congress, APC, and its purported candidates.
Abioye urged the public to remain calm and all political parties to go about their peaceful campaigns as they countdown to the D-day, that is 22nd February, 2025.