The All Progressives Congress (APC), Osun State chapter, has accused the Accord/PDP-led state government of deliberately weaponising the judiciary to destabilise local government administration and intimidate the opposition, describing the situation as a case of “judicial terrorism.”
The allegation was made on Monday, January 5, 2026, during the party’s first press conference of the year, held at the APC State Secretariat, Ogo-Oluwa Area, Osogbo. The briefing was addressed by the Osun State APC Chairman, Sooko Tajudeen Lawal, who presented what the party described as a comprehensive account of the prolonged legal battles surrounding local government councils in the state.
Background to the Crisis
The APC recalled that on February 10, 2025, the Court of Appeal nullified an earlier judgment that had removed elected APC chairmen and councillors across Osun State. According to the party, the ruling was never appealed by the state government, making it final and binding.
Despite this, the APC alleged that the state government refused to recognise the judgment, arguing instead that there existed a conflicting decision from a lower court in a so-called sister case.
The reinstated council officials subsequently resumed duties on February 17, 2025.
The party further linked the rejection of the appellate court’s ruling to a wave of violence that followed, including the killing of Hon. Remi Abbas, one of the reinstated local government chairmen.
APC leaders also accused the Osun State chapter of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) of collaborating with the then PDP-led government by allegedly coercing council workers to stay away from work.
Disputed Elections and Multiple Lawsuits
The APC also criticised the conduct of what it termed a “purported” local government election held on February 22, 2025, which it said was based on an allegedly defective five-month notice of election. The legality of the poll, the party said, remains the subject of ongoing litigation.
According to the APC, the state government subsequently embarked on what it described as a coordinated legal offensive, filing multiple suits across different courts and jurisdictions on matters already decided by the Court of Appeal. The party expressed concern over interim orders issued by various courts, which it claimed were used to frustrate the reinstated council officials and cripple governance at the grassroots.
Particular exception was taken to a ruling delivered within 48 hours by a court in Osun State, which the APC said attempted to reinterpret the Court of Appeal judgment and direct fresh elections, an action the party described as legally untenable. Petitions were said to have been filed against the judge with the National Judicial Council (NJC), but the APC claimed no response has been received to date.
Supreme Court Intervention
The APC noted that on December 5, 2025, the Supreme Court struck out a suit filed by the Osun State government over the same local government matter, affirming the earlier decision of the Court of Appeal that reinstated the APC chairmen and councillors.
The party said the apex court made it clear that neither the state government nor candidates emerging from the disputed February 22, 2025 election had any legal basis to claim control of the local councils. The Supreme Court, according to the APC, also faulted the reliance on judgments in which the state government was not a party.
Appeal to the NJC and the Judiciary
In its address, the APC appealed to the National Judicial Council to urgently act on the petitions before it, stressing that delayed justice could fuel public frustration and threaten peace.
The party also urged members of the judiciary nationwide to take judicial notice of the settled position of the law on Osun’s local government councils, warning against being misled into issuing conflicting or interim orders on matters already determined by superior courts.
Media and Public Communication
The APC accused the state government of engaging in what it described as a media war, alleging that public officials misrepresented court decisions to justify the withholding of local government funds and to blackmail federal authorities and security agencies.
According to the party, dissenting opinions in Supreme Court judgments were selectively amplified to mislead the public, while binding majority decisions were ignored.
Conclusion
The Osun APC
maintained that the reinstated chairmen and councillors have not sought any extension of tenure, explaining that their only pending suit is to determine whether their statutory three-year tenure runs from their first sitting and whether any valid election can be conducted during that period.
The party concluded by expressing appreciation to security agencies, judicial institutions, and the media for what it described as professionalism and restraint during the prolonged crisis. It also thanked the people of Osun State for remaining law-abiding amid what it termed avoidable legal and political tensions.
“May the rule of law reign in Osun State,” the party said.
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