Tension surrounded several local government areas across Osun State on Friday, June 19, 2026, as Chairmen elected under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the February 2025 Local Government Election attempted to resume at council secretariats following a recent Federal High Court judgment dismissing a suit filed by the previously dismissed All Progressives Congress (APC) Chairmen seeking tenure elongation.

The development comes after the Osun State Government and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) reportedly directed the PDP local government Chairmen and Councillors to take over council secretariats across the state.

The political atmosphere remained charged in many councils, with heavy security presence observed in all local government secretariats visited by correspondents.

At Ifelodun Local Government, members of the PDP/Accord Party were denied access to the secretariat, while their supporters were reportedly chased away from the Boluwaduro Local Government secretariat amid rising tension.

In Iwo Local Government, PDP/Accord Party members were seen at the secretariat alongside the chairman elected under the platform, Hon. Kabir Moshood. Addressing supporters, Moshood declared that his administration would formally resume operations on Monday.

There was, however, no appearance by either PDP or APC chairmen at Olorunda and Osogbo local government secretariats, although security operatives, including armed police officers and members of the Hunters Special Force, were heavily deployed around the Osogbo council premises.

At Orolu Local Government, the APC Chairman and his team were present at the secretariat in the morning, maintaining that they remained in charge of the council administration.

A similar situation played out in Aiyedire Local Government, where APC officials occupied the secretariat and continued to assert authority over the council.

In Ila Local Government, the PDP chairman reportedly resumed office peacefully, while in Ede South Local Government, PDP/Accord Party supporters removed APC flags from the secretariat premises and announced their resumption.

Meanwhile, in Ede North, officials visited the local government secretariat and stated that formal resumption would commence on Monday under police supervision.

At Olaoluwa Local Government, APC officials resumed duties and claimed continued control of the secretariat despite the court judgment.

In Ife North Local Government, loyalists of the PDP and Accord Party Chairman, Hon. Akande Micheal, carried out awareness activities in the council, informing residents that the chairman would officially resume office on Monday, June 22, 2026.

Security operatives also barred both PDP and APC members from entering the Obokun Local Government secretariat, while there was no visible activity from either political party in Ejigbo Local Government as of the time of filing this report.

Visits by correspondents to several areas within Osogbo confirmed heavy police deployment, as authorities intensified efforts to prevent a breakdown of law and order amid the political standoff.

The development follows the June 15, 2026 judgment delivered by Justice Adefunmilola Demi-Ajayi of the Federal High Court sitting in Osogbo, which dismissed a suit filed by the APC Local government chairmen.

The sacked APC officials had approached the court seeking tenure elongation and other reliefs aimed at retaining control of council secretariats across the state. Among other requests, they asked the court to nullify the February 22, 2025 local government election, invalidate the oath of office administered on elected PDP officials, restrain their removal from office, and compel the police to continue providing security for them.

However, the court dismissed the originating summons in its entirety.

Following the judgment, the Osun State Government formally requested the intervention of the Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG), Zone XI, to provide adequate security for the PDP-elected local government chairmen and councillors to facilitate their resumption at the various secretariats.

The request which was contained in a letter dated June 18, 2026, and signed by Oluwabusola Oluwaniyi, emphasized that there was no subsisting court order staying the judgment or restraining its implementation.

According to the state government, the mere filing of an appeal or application for stay of execution does not invalidate or suspend the judgment of the court.

As political uncertainty continues to unfold across the state’s council areas, residents and workers remain anxious over the possibility of further clashes between rival political groups.