Osun LG Crisis: Controversy Over Status Of APC’s Appeal On APP Judgement
There is a fresh controversy over the relisting of the appeal of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on the November 30, 2022 judgement of the Federal High Court, Osogbo on the suit filed by the All Peoples Party (APP) on the October 15, 2022 local government election in Osun State.
The judgement, delivered by Justice Nathaniel Emmanuel-Ayoola, nullified the election that produced members of the APC as Chairmen and Councillors over issues of non-compliance with the Electoral Act and sundry matters.
OSUN DEFENDER reports that the case is one out of the two suits filed against the election, as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had in its suit adjudicated on November 25, 2022, two days before Governor Ademola Adeleke’s inauguration, won its bid for the October 15 election to be nullified.
While the All Progressives Congress (APC) claims that its chairmen had been reinstated through the ‘contentious’ February 10, 2025 Court of Appeal, Akure Division judgement on the PDP suit, members of the Peoples Democratic Party and the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSSIEC) who are interested parties in the matter are of the opinion that the main opposition party in the state abandoned the other suit with a binding court pronouncement.
According to the PDP and OSSIEC, the APC had no case since the higher court had dismissed it on January 13.
The medium reports that the back and forth over the decision of the appellate court has continued to contribute to the stalemate in local government administration in Osun as both parties lay claim to being the authentic leadership of council areas in the state.
The Fresh Controversy
On Tuesday, the relisted appeal jointly filed by the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) against the Action Peoples Party (APP) came up for hearing at the Court of Appeal, Akure.
While members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are of the opinion that the appeal is an afterthought after the APC had claimed the February 10 judgement reinstated its officials.
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On the other hand, members of the main opposition are of the view that the suit with Appeal No. CA/AK/226M/2024 has been adjourned to May 8 for hearing.
A member of the APC, Olaore Taiwo in a Facebook post said the petitioners were represented by Kunle Adegoke SAN and Waliu Salman Esq.
“Contrary to the narrative by the People’s Democratic Party that the Appeal filed by APC and APM had been dismissed and the decision of the Federal High Court delivered on 30th November, 2022 sacking the elected APC Chairmen and Councillors in the Local Government Councils in Osun State is the applicable law, the application for relisting the appeal in Appeal No. CA/AK/226M/2024 filed by All Progressives Congress came up at the Court of Appeal, Akure today, 25th March 2025.
“While APC was represented by Kunle Adegoke SAN and Waliu Salman, Esq, OSIEC was represented by Musibau Adetunbi, SAN.
“The court observed that there was no proof of service of hearing notice on All People’s Movement, which was not represented in court, and hence, the application to relist the case could not be heard today. The court adjourned the appeal to the 8th day of May, 2025 for hearing.
“By the development of today, it means that the appeal has not come to an end and the application to relist it is still extant.
“As a matter of fact, they rushed to the Appellate Court on 21st March 2025 to respond to the motion APC filed and served them since 23rd January 2025. They stormed the streets for almost two months, misleading the public that the Appeal Court had affirmed their APP judgment, which was a bogus lie.
“The ruling was a mere dismissal of the Notice of Appeal, and no any judgment was delivered to affirm the APP judgment.
“They can continue to attempt to manipulate facts, trying to make a dog look like a cow, but the members of the public have become wiser,” the post shared by notable members of the APC read.
On the other hand, an aide to Governor Ademola Adeleke, Oluniyi Isamotu wrote, “Osun state government is finally vindicated as the Osun State APC and its allies have finally appealed the judgement of the Federal High Court sacking the Yes/No Chairmen.
“APC had been in denial of the existence of the judgement sacking its kangaroo chairmen and has been holding unto a non – existing court order from the Court of Appeal.
“Reports indicated that the state APC was advised to face reality and address the FHC judgment which remains unvacated and binding.
“The application for the re-enlistment of the APC’s appeal which was dismissed by the Court of Appeal against the APP’s judgment came up today at the Court of Appeal, Akure. Many APC leaders were spotted at the Appeal Court.
“It would be recalled that the APC initial appeal was dismissed by the Appeal Court due to lack of diligent prosecution which in effect validated the Federal High Court judgement sacking the YES/NO Chairman.
“Apart from the denial which has continued to haunt the Osun APC now and their sacked Chairmen who illegally and violently broke into the council offices across Osun State, another undoing of Osun APC is the recent Supreme Court decision holding that Federal High Court has jurisdiction to entertain local government election matters especially when the provisions of the Electoral Act are at play before the Court.
“The YES/NO election conducted during the APC administration in Osun State was widely condemned as falling short of legitimacy and legal standards which led the Court to nullify it. The effect is that the YES/NO chairmen remain sacked till date,” Isamotu’s post concluded.
Sodiq Yusuf is a trained media practitioner and journalist with considerable years of experience in print, broadcast, and digital journalism. His interests cover a wide range of causes in politics, governance, sports, community development, and good governance.
