Tensions Rise Over Osun Council Crisis as Afenifere and Ozekhome Call for Tinubu and AGF’s Intervention

The local government crisis rocking Osun State has taken a dramatic turn, with political leaders, legal heavyweights, and socio-cultural groups calling for urgent intervention by President Bola Tinubu and the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF). At the heart of the turmoil is a lingering power tussle over control of local councils, which the Osun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says is a calculated plot by former Governor Gboyega Oyetola to destabilise his successor, Governor Ademola Adeleke.

The chairman of the PDP in Osun State, Sunday Bisi, on Wednesday accused Oyetola of setting a political booby trap by conducting what he described as an illegal local government election shortly after losing his re-election bid in 2022. Speaking at the 46th edition of Frontliners, a current affairs forum hosted by the League of Veteran Journalists in Osogbo, Bisi alleged that Oyetola’s post-defeat actions were intended to create chaos at the grassroots level of government.

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Bisi argued that the controversial council polls, conducted with only 60 days’ notice instead of the legally mandated 360 days as stipulated by the Electoral Act, lacked legitimacy. “It was a deliberate and illegal action that violated electoral procedures and constitutional mandates,” he said.

According to him, the consequences of that action are now manifesting in the form of political tension and instability across the 30 local government areas and 332 wards of the state. He further asserted that many of the officials occupying local council seats—installed through the disputed election—are refusing to vacate office, despite court judgments affirming the victory of PDP candidates in a subsequent February 2023 poll.

Bisi appealed directly to President Tinubu, urging him to intervene and ensure that “rule of law prevails over partisan interest.” He stressed that only presidential action could bring an end to the chaos that has paralysed governance at the grassroots.

Afenifere Urges Tinubu to Step In

In a related development, the influential pan-Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, has added its voice to the call for intervention. In a statement signed by its National Financial Secretary, Lanre Omisore, and Publicity Secretary, Adeyinka Akala, the group urged President Tinubu to wade into the crisis without delay.

Describing the escalating political unrest in Osun as “dangerous for regional stability and grassroots development,” Afenifere called for a peaceful resolution that prioritises the interests of the people. While reaffirming their loyalty to Afenifere’s global leader, Pa Reuben Fasoranti, the group also reaffirmed its support for President Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope Agenda,” which it said should extend to resolving political disputes within the South-West.

Ozekhome’s Legal Strike: AGF Accused of Undermining Justice

Adding legal weight to the political standoff, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Mike Ozekhome has issued a formal petition to the Attorney-General of the Federation, demanding that he enforce existing court judgments which recognise the February 22, 2023, council elections conducted under Governor Adeleke’s administration.

In a strongly worded letter dated June 23, 2025, Ozekhome accused the AGF of enabling illegality by allowing sacked APC officials to continue receiving council allocations and occupying council offices, despite being overthrown by court-backed PDP officials.

According to Ozekhome, the AGF’s March 26 directive to the Minister of Finance, which instructed that local government funds continue to be disbursed to the ousted APC appointees until October, was “in clear contempt of judicial rulings” and a betrayal of constitutional order.

He demanded an immediate reversal of the directive, insisting that continuing to recognise and fund illegally seated officials was “a grave injustice” to the electorate of Osun State and a dangerous precedent for democratic governance in Nigeria.

A Tipping Point for Grassroots Democracy

The Osun council crisis now stands as a defining moment for Nigeria’s commitment to electoral integrity and judicial compliance. While the PDP-led Osun government fights to reclaim control of the third tier of governance, the involvement of President Tinubu and the AGF could prove decisive in charting the way forward.

Legal analysts argue that failure to uphold court rulings could weaken public trust in both the judiciary and executive institutions. Political commentators, meanwhile, fear that the dispute, if not quickly resolved, could escalate into broader unrest, undermining peace in the South-West region.

As pressure mounts from all corners—political, cultural, and legal—the eyes of the nation now rest squarely on President Tinubu and the Attorney-General to restore order and reaffirm Nigeria’s democratic ideals at the grassroots level.