Osogbo, Osun State – Members of the Osun State chapter of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) and reinstated local government officials elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have accused the Osun State Government of deliberately creating tension and misrepresenting a recent Federal High Court judgment to trigger unrest across local government councils in the state.

The allegations were made on Thursday during a press conference held at Ileri Oluwa House, Ogo Oluwa Area, Osogbo, and addressed by legal practitioner and APC chieftain, Barrister Adegoke Ogunsola.

According to the group, the controversy stems from a suit filed by reinstated APC chairmen and councillors before the Federal High Court in Osogbo on September 12, 2025, seeking judicial clarification on the commencement and duration of their tenure under relevant Osun State laws.

The Federal High Court delivered judgment in the matter on June 15, 2026, dismissing the suit. However, the APC officials argued that the state government had wrongly interpreted the ruling as validation of the local government elections conducted on February 22, 2025.

The group alleged that immediately after the judgment, the state government and its supporters began efforts to install officials produced by the disputed election, a move they described as capable of causing avoidable tension and public disorder.

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The APC-backed officials disclosed that they had already appealed the judgment and filed a motion for stay of execution on June 16, 2026. According to them, all parties involved, including security agencies, have been duly served with the relevant court processes.

They maintained that since an appeal is pending before the Court of Appeal, no enforcement action should be taken until the appellate court determines the issues raised.

The group further argued that the individuals claiming to have emerged from the February 2025 local government election were not parties to the Federal High Court case and therefore had no legal basis to celebrate the dismissal of the suit or attempt to assume office.

According to the APC officials, the judgment itself acknowledged that the tenure of the elected chairmen and councillors commenced in October 2022 and expired in October 2025. They contended that this finding raises legal questions regarding the validity of the February 2025 election and the subsequent swearing-in ceremony conducted by the state government while the tenure of the elected officials was still subsisting.

The officials said these issues are among matters currently before the Court of Appeal and urged all parties to allow the judicial process to run its course.

They also commended security agencies, particularly the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services (DSS), and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), for what they described as professionalism and restraint in handling the sensitive situation.

The group called on residents of Osun State to remain calm, disregard what it termed misinformation surrounding the court judgment, and continue their lawful activities without fear.

They warned that any breakdown of law and order arising from attempts to enforce what they described as a disputed interpretation of the judgment should be blamed on those allegedly seeking to exploit the court’s decision for political advantage.

The APC officials reiterated their commitment to pursuing legal remedies and expressed confidence that the appellate court would provide clarity on the lingering dispute over the leadership of local government councils in the state.

The controversy remains one of the most significant political and legal battles in Osun State, with both sides continuing to stake claims over the control of local government administrations while awaiting further judicial pronouncements.