Judgement Controversy: Osun Gov’t Dismisses APC’s Claims On Court Ruling

• Insists LG Elections Remain Nullified

The Osun State Government has debunked claims by the All Progressives Congress (APC), that a recent Court of Appeal judgment reinstated the sacked local government chairmen elected under former Governor Gboyega Oyetola.

The state government emphasized that the judgment was based on preliminary legal technicalities and did not overturn the existing ruling that nullified the controversial YES/NO local government elections.

A statement on Friday by the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, which contained the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the judgment, confirmed that the Court of Appeal did not rule on the substantive issues of the case but only struck out the originating process filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on technical grounds.

The release stated unequivocally that the judgment did not include an order for reinstatement of the dismissed local government chairmen.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the prayers of APC before the Court of Appeal are as follows:

Reliefs Sought From The Court Of Appeal

(A) An Order allowing this appeal.
(B) An Order setting aside the Ruling delivered by the Lower Court on 15th September, 2022 and dismissing the 1st Respondent’s Motion on Notice to amend dated 29th August, 2022 (but filed on 2nd September, 2022).
(C) An Order granting the Appellants’ Motion on Notice to dismiss suit dated 28th October, 2022.
(D) An Order setting aside and nullifying the Judgment of the Lower Court delivered on 25th November, 2022.
(E) An Order invoking Section 16 of the Court of Appeal Act to determine Shop the Trendy '90s Basic Lily Collins Wears Everywhere , Who What Wear the suit of the 1st Respondent on the basis of the Originating Summons dated 27th July, 2022.
(F) An Order dismissing Suit No: FHC/OS/CS/94/2022.
(G) An Order restoring the Appellants back into their offices having been duly elected by the citizens of Osun State.
(H) Such further or other orders as this Honourable Court may make in the circumstances of this appeal.

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And from the CTC of the judgment of the Court of Appeal, the Court held as follows:

In the circumstances; with the resolution of the two issues in favour of the appellants, it follows that this appeal is meritorious and it is accordingly allowed. The amended originating summons is hereby struck out for incompetence. Consequently, Suit No: FHC/OS/CS/94/2022 be and is hereby struck out.

Cost of #250,000:00 to the appellants against the 1st Respondent.

From the two extracts above, it is very clear that only prayers a, b, c and d were granted while the Court of Appeal refused other prayers including the prayer G where they specifically prayed the Court for reinstatement.

“The Court of Appeal only treated the preliminary issue of whether the PDP’s originating summons was competent. The suit was struck out for incompetence, but the judgment did not validate the YES/NO election conducted under former Governor Oyetola,” the statement read.

The government reiterated that the subsisting judgment in suit number FHC/OS/CS/94/2022, which nullified the local government elections conducted on October 15, 2022, remains legally binding.

It also noted that the APC had abandoned its appeal against the separate judgment obtained by the Action Peoples Party (APP) in the Federal High Court, which also nullified the elections.

It said the Court of Appeal’s decision only addressed technicalities, ruling that the PDP’s suit was premature because it was filed before the official election notice was issued. However, the government maintained that the APC failed to obtain any consequential order reinstating their candidates.

“Consequently, the current position of things as at today in relation to the YES/NO local Government Chairmen of Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola is the subsisting judgment in suit no: FHC/CS/OS/which equally nullified the local Government election conducted on 15th October, 2022 and which has not been invalidated in anyway by the current decision of the Court of Appeal which is based on preliminary issues, majorly on technicality, rather than the substance of the case,” the statement added

While labelling the APC’s action has reckless, the governmemt accused the party of deliberately twisting the ruling to mislead the public.

It criticized the party for spreading air jordan 1 low og florida gators pe travis scott air jordan 1 retro low og black olive release date fall 2024 propaganda and falsely celebrating a reinstatement that was never granted by the court.

LG Elections To Proceed As Planned

The state government reassured residents that the upcoming local government elections scheduled for February 22, 2025, will proceed as planned.

It commended the people of the state for refusing to be swayed by APC’s misinformation and reaffirmed its commitment to democratic governance.

“With the APC’s legal battle effectively deflated, the people of Osun can rest assured that their voices will be heard in a credible and transparent local government election,” the statement concluded.