The All Progressives Congress, APC, has called on the Federal Government to make federal allocations to Osun State local governments available to only the chairmen reinstated by the Court of Appeal.
The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Felix Morka, in a statement issued Sunday said last Saturday’s fresh election conducted by Governor Ademola Adeleke and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, was nothing but a disgraceful sham, illegal, and unconstitutional.
DAILY POST reports that the Court of Appeal had on February 10, 2025, reinstated elected local government officials that were sacked by Adeleke’s executive order pursuant to a judgment of a Federal High Court of November 25, 2022, which nullified the election that brought the local government officials into office.
Morka noted that APC exercised utmost respect for the adverse decision of the Federal High Court and demonstrated mature restraint in the face of Adeleke’s illegal and unconstitutional appointment of caretaker committees in the state while it diligently pursued its appeal against the decision of the Federal High Court that has now been nullified by the Court of Appeal.
He said APC did not resort to violence or self help in the matter but submitted to the rule of law and the authority of the courts.
The ruling party wondered why it was difficult for Adeleke, who swore an oath to uphold and defend the Constitution, to abide by a valid order of the Court of Appeal reinstating the sacked local government officials.
Morka said: “Why is the Governor and his PDP vehement on taking matters into their own hands in disregard of a valid judgement of the Court of Appeal? Why is Governor Adeleke so desperate and determined to incite anarchy in Osun state with impunity?
“And why is the Governor so unaffected by the already tragic loss of lives of innocent citizens of the state in reckless breach of his duty to protect lives and property of all citizens in the state?”
The APC spokesperson described the conduct of local government elections last Saturday as a reckless waste of public funds, and an irresponsible incitement to further violence in the state
He said the swearing in of ‘newly elected’ local government officials by Adeleke was provocative and a threat to peace and safety of Osun residents.
“Breaking news reports of the purported swearing in of “newly elected” local government officials by Governor Adeleke constitutes needless political provocation and a clear renewed threat to the peace and safety of lives in the state.
“Governor Adeleke is under constitutional responsibility to respect and uphold the laws of our land, including giving effect to binding court judgements notwithstanding his personal or partisan political wishes or preferences.
“As he was quick to issue an executive order sacking the local government officials based on the Federal High Court judgment of 2022, Governor Adeleke is under clear constitutional obligation to similarly comply with the Court of Appeal judgment reinstating the same officials.
“In keeping with the rule of law, it is our expectation that the federal government to make federal allocation for local governments available only to democratically elected and judicially certified local government officials in Osun state.”