The Osun State High Court in Ilesa has instructed the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSSIEC) to hold elections to fill the vacant positions of local government chairpersons and councillors in all 30 local government areas and the area office in Osun State.
The court issued this ruling on Friday in response to a suit filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), a participant in the election.
The order states: “An order of this honourable court is granted, directing, mandating, and compelling the defendants to fill the vacancies across the 30 Local Government Areas of Osun State through a democratic process by proceeding to conduct the Local Government Elections already scheduled by the defendants for 22nd of February, 2025.”
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Justice Adeyinka Aderibigbe, who issued the order, also instructed security agencies to ensure safety and maintain peace before, during, and after the election.
The court’s directive requires the Nigeria Police, Nigerian Army, DSS, NSCDC, NDLEA, Amotekun Corps, Vigilante Groups, and others to provide sufficient security.
Osun State has been facing unrest over plans to hold local government elections, which are set for Saturday, February 22, 2025.
This has led to several crises, prompting the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, to recommend halting the election.
Fagbemi based his recommendation on a court ruling that reinstated local government officials who had been previously dismissed.
He argued that any election held would be invalid, as the term of office for the reinstated officials would run until October 2025, and holding the election would breach the Constitution.
Despite the Attorney-General’s advice, Governor Ademola Adeleke has affirmed that the election will proceed as scheduled.
In a statement by his spokesperson Olawale Rasheed, the governor emphasized his commitment to the rule of law, stating, “The election is going to hold, and the outcome will be a fast-tracked development at the local level.”
