By Michael Ofulue, Osogbo

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The Osun State Government has warned the All Progressives Congress (APC) to stop blackmailing the judiciary in its desperate bid to occupy local government secretariats.

The government stated that the “Yes and No” chairmen and councillors fraudulently elected under the APC administration, who were sacked by the Federal High Court, remain sacked.

It dismissed claims made by the APC in the state, stating that the party is attempting to evade the consequences of its unlawful occupation of local government secretariats.

The government accused the APC of resorting to baseless blackmail against the judiciary to cover up its legal predicament.

According to the government, the APC is deliberately misrepresenting the fact that it is currently facing three separate lawsuits concerning its forceful takeover of local government secretariats.

These lawsuits include one filed by the duly elected PDP local government chairmen and councillors under the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), another by the state’s local government workers under the National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), and a third by the Action Peoples Party (APP), which has sued the APC for contempt of court for disregarding a subsisting judgment that invalidated the tenure of its so-called “Yes/No” chairmen.

In a statement signed by the spokesperson to Governor Ademola Adeleke, Olawale Rasheed, and made available to newsmen in Osogbo, it was clarified that the governor has not initiated any legal proceedings against the APC. Instead, he has directed PDP-elected officials to adhere strictly to the rule of law and maintain peace.

The APC’s claims that there are plans to use violence against the removed “Yes/No” chairmen have been dismissed as unfounded.

The state government asserts that such allegations are merely a desperate attempt by the APC to avoid the legal consequences of its unconstitutional takeover of local government administration in Osun.

The government reiterated that those directly affected by the APC’s actions have taken legal steps to challenge the situation in court.

The legitimately elected council chairmen, vice chairmen, and councillors have filed lawsuits seeking to remove the “Yes/No” chairmen, whom they accuse of defying legal rulings and resorting to self-help rather than respecting the judiciary.

NULGE, as a key stakeholder, has also turned to the courts to protect the integrity of local government operations. Both the PDP-elected council officials and NULGE have sought specific reliefs from the judiciary to affirm their lawful authority and prevent further disruptions.

Rasheed hinted that the reliefs sought by the PDP-elected council chairmen are as follows:

A DECLARATION that the 1st–8th Defendants, having been removed from office as Chairmen and Councillors of the Local Government Councils in Osun State by a subsisting and extant judgment of the Federal High Court delivered on the 30th day of November, 2022, and a fresh election having been duly and lawfully conducted on the 22nd day of February, 2025, pursuant to the subsisting Order of the Osun State High Court in Suit No: HIL/M.19/2025—which led to the conduct of elections and the emergence of the Claimants as Chairmen and Councillors—cannot impede, interfere with, and/or obstruct, in any way whatsoever, the Claimants in their assumption of office.

A DECLARATION that the 9th–12th Defendants, being persons and authorities bound to give effect to every decision of this Honourable Court and of all superior courts of record in Nigeria by virtue of Section 287 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), have the constitutional duty to ensure that all persons and authorities, including the 1st–8th Defendants, their allies, privies, agents, or any person acting through them or in their stead, or with their support, do not interfere with, disturb, or cause obstruction to the assumption of office by the Claimants into their respective offices as Chairmen and Councillors of the Local Government Councils in Osun State—more particularly having regard to the said judgment of the Federal High Court of Nigeria delivered on 30th November, 2022 in Suit No: FHC/OS/CS/103/2022.

A DECLARATION that in view of the election held on the 22nd day of February, 2025, conducted pursuant to the provisions of Sections 28, 29, 30, and 150 of the Electoral Act, 2022, and the decisions of the Osun State High Court in Suit No: HIL/M.19/2025, Peoples Democratic Party v. Osun State Independent Electoral Commission, and the Federal High Court in FHC/OS/CS/103/2022, Action Peoples Party v. INEC & 6 Ors, as well as the dismissal of the appeal against the said judgment in Appeal No: CA/AK/226M/24, Allied Peoples Movement & Ors v. Action Peoples Party & Ors on 13th January, 2025, and the subsequent swearing-in of the Claimants on the 23rd of February, 2025, the Claimants are the legal occupants of the 30 Local Government Councils in Osun State as Chairmen and Councillors.