Osun LG crisis deepens as PDP chairmen reclaim secretariats after court ruling

Tensions over control of local government administration in Osun State escalated sharply on Tuesday as elected chairmen on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) moved to take over council secretariats across the state, following a Federal High Court judgment that invalidated the continued stay in office of their All Progressives Congress (APC) counterparts.

The development has triggered political standoffs in several local government areas and prompted heavy security deployment by the Osun State Police Command to prevent clashes between rival party supporters.

The latest crisis stems from a judgment delivered by the Federal High Court sitting in Osogbo, presided over by Justice Adefunmilola Demi-Ajayi, which dismissed a suit seeking to extend the tenure of APC-backed local government officials.

The court held that the tenure of the affected council chairmen who assumed office in October 2022, had legally expired in October 2025, rejecting arguments that political disruptions warranted an extension of their mandate.

Following the ruling, PDP-aligned officials elected in February 2025 moved to assume control of the councils, citing the declaration of vacancies as the legal basis for their takeover.

The transition played out unevenly across the state, with some local government areas witnessing peaceful handovers, while others recorded tense confrontations.

In councils such as Ede North, Ede South, Iwo, and Ila, PDP officials reportedly resumed administrative duties without resistance, with supporters celebrating the court-backed transition.

However, in areas like Olorunda, security operatives were deployed to restrict access to council premises amid heated exchanges between rival political groups and party loyalists.

The APC has rejected the PDP’s move, describing it as a “forceful occupation” of council offices. Party representatives argue that the judgment is subject to an appeal and that a motion for stay of execution has been filed at the Court of Appeal.

One APC representative, Adegoke Ogunsola, maintained that the PDP should have awaited appellate determination before attempting to assume control of the secretariats.

The Osun State Government, through its Deputy Spokesperson Oladele Bamiji, defended the PDP chairmen’s actions, insisting they were acting in line with a valid court judgment.

Meanwhile, the Osun State Police Command has placed tactical units on alert across the state, warning political actors against any form of self-help, unlawful occupation of public facilities, or acts capable of breaching public peace.

A police statement stressed that enforcement of court judgments must follow due legal process and that security agencies would not tolerate actions that could trigger violence.

As both political blocs continue to assert competing legal interpretations of the court ruling, administrative activities at several local government secretariats remain uncertain.

With the matter now likely headed for the Court of Appeal, stakeholders say the dispute could further strain governance at the grassroots level, leaving service delivery in limbo across affected councils.

For now, Osun’s local government system remains caught between judicial interpretation and political rivalry, with the final outcome expected to be determined in the appellate courts.