The Governor of Osun State, Ademola Adeleke, has issued a definitive directive to former local government chairmen and councillors elected under the All Progressives Congress (APC), ordering them to immediately vacate all local council secretariats across the state.
In a robust statewide broadcast delivered on Monday, 26 January 2026, the Governor declared the continued occupation of these offices as “illegal” and a “brazen contempt” for subsisting judicial pronouncements.
The Governor’s directive follows a protracted legal impasse regarding the legitimacy of the local government elections conducted by the previous administration in November 2022.
Governor Adeleke recalled that the Federal High Court in Osogbo had initially nullified those elections, a decision that was subsequently upheld by the Court of Appeal on 10 February 2025 and reaffirmed on 13 June 2025.
In alignment with these court orders, the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSIEC) conducted fresh local government polls on 22 February 2025. The Governor emphasised that the newly elected officials, who were sworn in the following day, remain the only legitimate authorities at the grassroots level.
The Governor expressed grave concern over what he described as a “siege” on democratic order. He alleged that the former APC officials have forcefully retained control of council secretariats with the support of armed police personnel, purportedly acting on the instructions of the former governor and current Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola.
Furthermore, Governor Adeleke condemned reported incidents of violence against civil servants.
“Reports that local government workers attempting to resume their lawful duties were assaulted and harassed are deeply troubling. Such actions constitute a gross abuse of power and a direct threat to democratic governance,” the Governor stated.
Central to the Governor’s address was the disclosure that over ₦130 billion in statutory allocations meant for Osun local governments has been withheld by the Federal Government since February 2025.
Adeleke warned that this financial blockade is crippling essential services, including:
Primary Healthcare: Funding for 332 primary healthcare centres, Education: Salaries for primary school teachers and Welfare: Remuneration for council staff, traditional councils, and retirees.
The Governor revealed that the state government has been forced to borrow for nearly a year to maintain salary payments, a situation he described as “unsustainable.”
Adeleke appealed directly to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene, exonerating the President from the crisis while accusing “unscrupulous elements” of using the President’s name to justify illegalities.
While the APC through its spokesperson, Kola Olabisi, has dismissed the broadcast as “media blackmail” and urged the Governor to await further court determinations, Adeleke concluded by assuring residents of his commitment to restoring constitutional legality and safeguarding their welfare.
