By Thomas Abidoye
…appeal court reinstated Osun APC chairmen
A civil society organisation, the World Institute for Peace (WIP), has warned the Osun State Government to stay away from local government affairs, insisting that the matter has been conclusively settled by the courts.
The Executive Director of the World Institute for Peace, Lamina Kamiludeen Omotoyosi, issued the warning on Friday during a press conference held in Osogbo, the state capital.
Omotoyosi urged the state government to focus on responsibilities constitutionally assigned to it and to respect and obey the judgement of the Supreme Court, noting that the apex court has clearly ruled that neither the state government nor its agencies has supervisory or financial authority over local governments.
He stated that attempts to move from one lower court to another in a bid to frustrate the operations of local government councils amount to an abuse of judicial process and a direct attack on grassroots governance.
The WIP executive director explained that local government allocations have been released by the Federal Government since last year, describing claims of non-release of funds as false and misleading.
According to Omotoyosi, any failure in council operations cannot be attributed to a lack of funds but to deliberate obstruction, adding that politicising local government allocations undermines effective governance at the grassroots, which remains the tier of government closest to the people.
He condemned what he described as the continuous spread of misinformation, false legal interpretations, and deliberate attempts to confuse the public through the politicisation of clear court judgements.
Omotoyosi advised individuals or groups in doubt about the legal position on local government administration in Osun State to approach the courts for clarification rather than mislead residents of the state.
He maintained that the legal position is settled, stressing that the Court of Appeal reinstated the All Progressives Congress (APC) local government chairmen and that the Supreme Court affirmed the autonomy of local governments.
The WIP executive director noted that the Allied Peoples Party (APP) had no legal standing in the appeal process, adding that the APC chairmen remain the lawful occupants of their respective local government offices.
Providing background to the dispute, Omotoyosi recalled that the crisis arose from the dissolution of elected local government councils by the Osun State Government in 2022, a move that prompted the affected APC chairmen and councillors to seek judicial protection of their constitutional mandate.
He explained that the matter progressed through the judicial system and culminated in binding judgements of the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court of Nigeria.
Omotoyosi clarified that at the Court of Appeal, the APC local government chairmen were the appellants, while the APP neither participated in the proceedings nor filed any appeal, rendering any claims based on the appellate decision legally unfounded.
He further stated that the Court of Appeal, in its February 2025 majority judgement, allowed the appeal in its entirety, set aside the earlier judgement of the lower court, declared the dissolution of the councils unlawful, and ordered the immediate reinstatement of the APC chairmen and councillors.
According to the WIP executive director, the appellate court also affirmed that no state government has the constitutional authority to remove elected local government officials and restrained the Osun State Government from interfering in local government administration and finances.
Omotoyosi urged the Osun State Government to embrace constitutionalism, respect the rule of law, and prioritise governance over litigation and propaganda, stressing that the peace, development, and welfare of the grassroots population should not be sacrificed for political interests.
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