Court orders Osun electoral commission to conduct LG election

The Osun State High Court in Ilesa has directed the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSSIEC) to proceed with elections for the vacant local government chairmanship and councillor positions across all 30 local government areas, as well as the area office in the state.

The court’s ruling, issued recently, mandates OSSIEC to organise the elections, addressing the long-standing vacancies in these positions.

This decision comes after a legal challenge brought before the court, calling for the electoral body to fill the vacant offices.

The court order was disclosed via a post shared via the X handle of the Special Assistant (Digital Media) to the Osun State Governor, Olalekan Badmus, on Friday, February 21.

The court ruled that: “the election conducted by the 1st defendant on 15th October 2022, having been invalidated, nullified, and voided, and the purported elected officials produced by the purported election having been sacked by the Federal High Court in FHC/CS/OS/103/2022; ACTION PEOPLES PARTY (APP) VS. INDEPENDENT NATIONAL ELECTORAL COMMISSION (INEC) & Ors, delivered on 30th November 2022, and as confirmed by the decision of the Court of Appeal in Appeal No: CA/AK/226M/2024; ALLIED PEOPLE MOVEMENT (APM) & Ors VS. ACTION PEOPLES PARTY (APP) & Ors, delivered on 13th January 2025, vacancy actually exists in the political administration of local councils in the state, thereby consequently upholding the prayers of the PDP in the suit.

“Consequently, the court granted the prayers of the claimant, seeking an order of the court directing, mandating, and compelling the defendants to fill the vacancies across the 30 local government areas of Osun State through a democratic process by proceeding to conduct the local government elections already scheduled by the defendants for 22nd February 2025.”