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The Osun State chapter of the Action Peoples Party (APP) has called on security agencies to apprehend and prosecute individuals who forcefully occupied local government council offices in the state.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, February 19, 2025, APP State Chairman, Mr. Odesola Oluseye Titus, condemned the takeover by former council chairmen and councillors affiliated with the All Progressives Congress (APC).
He described their actions as unlawful, emphasizing that they have no legal authority to return to office following a court ruling that invalidated the 2022 local government elections.
According to Mr Odesola, the Federal High Court in Osogbo had, on November 30, 2022, ruled in favour of APP in a lawsuit challenging the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSSIEC) over the conduct of the election.
He asserted that the ruling effectively nullified the tenure of all elected chairmen and councillors, rendering their current claims to office illegitimate.
“The individuals who stormed the council offices today are nothing but impostors and looters,” Odesola declared.
“The judgment that nullified the October 2022 local government election remains valid. Moreover, those who challenged the ruling later abandoned their appeal, leading the Court of Appeal to dismiss the case for lack of prosecution.”
Reacting to claims by APC members that an Appeal Court decision had reinstated them, the APP chairman dismissed such assertions as a misinterpretation of judicial procedures.
He clarified that the Appeal Court ruling only struck out the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) case for lack of jurisdiction but did not reinstate the ousted council officials.
“Did the Appeal Court reinstate them? No. The court simply ruled that the PDP’s case was speculative and lacked merit. It never overturned the Federal High Court’s judgment that rendered the council positions vacant,” Odesola explained.
“This attempt to twist legal interpretations is unacceptable. Osun State is not a lawless territory where people can fabricate rulings to suit their interests.”
With the February 22, 2025, local government elections approaching, Odesola reaffirmed APP’s preparedness to contest and fill the vacant council positions.
He disclosed that the party had submitted candidates for the elections, in line with directives from the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC).
“We are ready for the elections and determined to secure victory,” he concluded. “The law is on our side, and we will ensure that only legally recognized leaders take charge of the local councils.”