Federal High Court Sacks Osun APC Local Government Chairmen and Councillors

A Federal High Court in Osogbo, Osun State, has nullified the positions of chairmen and councillors elected under the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the October 15, 2022 local government elections.

Justice Adefunmilola A. Demi-Ajayi delivered the ruling on Monday in case FHC/OS/CS/147/2025, which was filed by the officials seeking an extension of their tenure.

The plaintiffs—Onibonokuta Saheed, Ayegbayo Gbolahan, Olayera Elugbaju, Adegbite Mufutau, Balogun Olanrewaju, Adeyemi Fatai, Isola Kamoli and Adeyemi Elliot—sued on their own behalf and for other APC‑elected chairmen and councillors.

Respondents named in the suit included Governor Ademola Adeleke, the Attorney General of the Federation, the Inspector General of Police, the Osun State Attorney General and the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSIEC).

The claimants asked the court to clarify when their term should start, saying they were barred from performing duties after taking the oath on October 25, 2022.

The case began in September 2025; after interlocutory appeals, the Court of Appeal in Abuja heard the matter on June 3, 2026 and postponed the appeals to September 28, 2026.

Justice Demi-Ajayi dismissed the suit, holding that the three‑year tenure of the council officials ended in October 2025, stating “the tenure of office of the elected officers of the local government councils ended in October 2025.”

Governor Adeleke welcomed the judgment, saying it conforms with the constitution and that the sacked chairmen lack legal standing to pursue the case. He added that their tenure, if any, had lapsed in October 2025.

Adeleke then instructed Inspector General of Police Olatunji Disu to order the Osun State Police Command to withdraw security cover for the officials occupying council secretariats illegally.

The Osun State chapter of the APC warned that the ruling also affects the local government elections conducted by OSIEC on February 22, 2025, suggesting those polls may be annulled.

Party spokesperson Kola Olabisi urged the public to disregard what he called misleading information from the state government regarding the purported elections and swearing‑in in February 2025.

Counsel for the sacked officials, Muhydeen Adeoye, said an appeal has been lodged at the Court of Appeal, Akure Division, with a notice of appeal filed on June 16, 2026, raising six grounds and seeking a restraint on respondents pending the appeal’s outcome.