Osogbo, Osun State — The national leadership of the Accord Party has demanded the immediate vacation of all Local Government Secretariats in Osun State by All Progressives Congress (APC) chairmen and councillors whose elections were nullified by the courts.
In a statement signed by its National Chairman, Maxwell Mgbudem, Accord recalled that the purported election of the APC officials was voided by the Federal High Court in Osogbo in November 2022, a decision affirmed by the Court of Appeal on February 10, 2025, and again on June 13, 2025, for gross violations of electoral laws.
The party stressed that beyond the court rulings, the tenure of the APC chairmen and councillors expired on October 22, 2025, making their continued occupation of council secretariats illegal.
“There is absolutely no justification for their continued occupation of Local Government Secretariats in Osun State under Police protection, as if Nigeria is a banana republic where the rule of law no longer applies,” the statement said.
Accord described the situation as “outrageous” and “a calculated assault on Nigeria’s democracy,” especially as the affected APC officials recently approached the Federal High Court seeking an extension of their expired tenure.
According to the party, the move amounts to forum shopping and a deliberate delay tactic aimed at prolonging what it described as an illegal siege on the Local Government Secretariats.
“There is nowhere in the Constitution or the Electoral Act that permits tenure extension for elected officials,” Accord said, warning that such actions undermine representative governance and must be resisted.
The party also demanded the immediate release of ₦130 billion in statutory allocations allegedly withheld from Osun State Local Governments, describing the action as unfair and detrimental to grassroots governance.
Accord further urged the Inspector General of Police to withdraw Police protection from what it termed “illegal occupants” of the council secretariats and instead protect the duly elected officials.
“The only lawful Local Government chairmen and councillors in Osun State are those elected on February 22, 2025, and sworn in on February 23, 2025, as ordered by the Osun State High Court,” the statement said.
The party called on President Bola Tinubu to intervene urgently to restore order and democratic norms at the grassroots level in the state, warning against any attempt to engineer political instability or a state of emergency in Osun.
Accord also commended Governor Ademola Adeleke for what it described as his maturity, restraint, and respect for the rule of law amid ongoing tensions, praising his administration’s commitment to democratic principles and people-oriented governance.
Comments