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The Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSSIEC) has declared the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the winner of all chairmanship and councillorship positions in the state’s local government elections held on Saturday....READ ORIGINAL & FULL CONTENT FROM SOURCE | READ ORIGINAL & FULL CONTENT FROM SOURCE...
Announcing the results at a press conference in Osogbo, OSSIEC Chairman Hashim Abioye stated that the PDP secured victory in all 30 local government areas (LGAs) of the state, including the Area Councils.
He described the election as peaceful and successful, despite earlier controversies surrounding its conduct.
Governor Ademola Adeleke had earlier in the day praised residents for participating in the democratic process. This was after he cast his vote in his hometown in Ede.
The Osun State High Court in Ilesa had ordered the electoral body, OSSIEC to proceed with the elections after a lawsuit filed by the PDP.
Prior to that, the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Lateef Fagbemi, had advised the Osun State Government not to conduct the local government elections. He referenced a February 10, 2025, judgment by the Court of Appeal (Akure Division) in Appeal No. CA/AK/272/2022. That ruling overturned an earlier Federal High Court decision that had removed elected local government officials from office.
According to Fagbemi, the appellate court’s ruling meant that the previously elected officials who were sacked were legally reinstated and entitled to serve their full term until October 2025.
“The implication of the Court of Appeal judgment is that the elected officials removed by the Federal High Court have been reinstated and are legally occupying their offices,” the AGF stated.
Fagbemi criticized Governor Adeleke’s decision to move forward with the elections, calling it unconstitutional. He also pointed to a recent Supreme Court judgment affirming local government autonomy, emphasizing that states must respect the tenure of democratically elected local officials.
Adding to the controversy, on election day OSSIEC Chairman Hashim Abioye alleged that police officers sealed off the commission’s headquarters. He further claimed that some OSSIEC staff members were arrested by operatives of the Nigeria Police Force while carrying out their election duties.
