Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke has been warned by Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Justice Minister Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, not to hold another local government election, calling the action unlawful and legally untenable.
download - 2025-02-20T140528.674.jpeg
In a statement released on Thursday, Fagbemi emphasized the legal ramifications of the recent Court of Appeal ruling from February 10, 2025, which reinstated the local government officials who had been fired in the first place. The appeal court declared the complaint incompetent and struck it out, overturning a previous Federal High Court decision that had declared the election of local government officials under former Governor Adegboyega Oyetola invalid.
Inferentially, the decision put the elected officials back in their positions. While voicing concerns over Adeleke's insistence on running a new local government, the AGF elections on February 22, 2025, contended that any attempt to replace the reinstated officials would be a clear breach of the Nigerian Constitution because their term is still valid until October 2025. The governor's handling of the matter was condemned by Fagbemi, who urged him to maintain law and order instead of making things worse. Fagbemi cautioned that any new election under the existing conditions would be void and encouraged the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSIEC) to put an end to its plans, citing a recent Supreme Court ruling upholding local government autonomy. Fagbemi emphasized that the Court of Appeal's ruling is superior and legally enforceable, saying, "The constitutional order that existed prior to the dissolution must be restored immediately since the judgment upon which the governor acted has been declared a nullity." He called on Adeleke to respect the rule of law, stressing that political disagreements should not lead to unnecessary conflict.
The AGF also expressed his readiness to engage with the Osun State government in dialogue to ensure a peaceful resolution to the crisis.
[attachment deleted by admin]