Osun Local Government Crisis: Court of Appeal Judgment Still Binding — MP. Oluwole Oke

 A member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Oluwole Oke, has stated that the ongoing controversy surrounding Local Government administration in Osun State must be resolved strictly within the confines of the rule of law.

In a media statement issued on Monday, the lawmaker stressed that the judgment of the Court of Appeal delivered on 10 February 2025 remains valid, subsisting, and binding until overturned by the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

Hon. Oke dismissed claims that the judgment referenced by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in its call for reinstatement of certain officials amounts to an appeal or has the power to override the appellate court’s decision. According to him, only the Supreme Court possesses the constitutional authority to review, affirm, or set aside the judgment of the Court of Appeal.

He recalled that the Court of Appeal, in its February 10 ruling, reinstated the APC-elected Local Government council chairmen and councillors in Osun State, following what it described as the unlawful dissolution of duly elected councils by the Osun State Government.

The federal lawmaker further noted that the Osun State Government, under Governor Ademola Adeleke, neither filed an appeal nor applied for a stay of execution against the judgment. He added that the government had allegedly ignored legal advice from senior lawyers on the matter.

Hon. Oke also faulted the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSIEC) for failing or refusing to issue a notice for fresh Local Government elections, insisting that the reinstated councils were lawfully permitted by the court to complete the remainder of their constitutionally guaranteed three-year tenure.

Citing provisions of Nigerian constitutional and administrative law, the lawmaker emphasized that there cannot be a vacuum in Local Government administration and that Local Government autonomy is settled law.

He further argued that individuals or groups approaching courts in Osun or Oyo states over the matter lack the required locus standi and jurisdiction.

Hon. Oke concluded by urging governments at all levels to respect court judgments, insisting that the rule of law must prevail in a democratic society.