Osun Court of Appeal affirms sack of APC Yes/No chairmen, voids 2022 LG elections, restoring legal clarity and upholding democratic integrity in Osun
Osun court verdict affirms the latest judicial turn in the state’s turbulent political theatre. The Court of Appeal sitting in Akure delivered two rulings that have effectively reset the political architecture of Osun State.
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In a definitive stance, the appellate court reaffirmed the sack of the All Progressives Congress (APC) factional “Yes/No” chairmen and nullified the controversial 2022 local government elections held under the former administration.
These landmark rulings, handed down on June 13, 2025, were swiftly welcomed by state officials.
The Osun Commissioner for Information, Kolapo Alimi, and the Senior Special Adviser to the Governor on Media, Malam Olawale Rasheed, both confirmed the court’s position. Rasheed hailed the outcome as a vindication of the state’s democratic trajectory.
His message echoed widely: “Appeal Court Sustains Sack of APC Yes/No Chairmen. Let’s share this as widely as possible.”
For years, the APC in Osun has been embroiled in a damaging leadership dispute. This internal conflict reached its peak following the 2021 parallel congresses, which created rival factions and competing claims to legitimacy.
With the appellate court’s dismissal of the APC’s appeal, the earlier High Court judgement that annulled the 2022 LG elections stands validated.
That verdict confirmed that local government positions were indeed vacant as of February 2025.
Speaking after the ruling, Chairman of the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission, Hashim Abioye, issued a stern reminder.
He declared that the 2022 elections, held during the past administration, were legally void. “The acclaimed beneficiaries… benefitted nothing,” he said, adding that today’s decision validates the 2025 polls conducted by OSSIEC.
Abioye detailed troubling efforts by federal authorities to obstruct the February 2025 elections.
According to him, the Attorney-General of the Federation, Prince Lateef Fagbemi SAN, and the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Kayode Egbetokun, misrepresented judicial precedent and tried to sabotage the vote.
They allegedly sealed OSSIEC’s premises and facilitated arrests, despite clear rulings from both the Appeal Court and Osun’s High Court.
“The AGF and the IGP ignored a subsisting decision of the Court of Appeal and a valid Osun High Court judgment which confirmed that vacancies existed,” Abioye said. “Their actions were a gross derision of the rule of law.”
Despite these obstructions, OSSIEC conducted the elections, issued Certificates of Return, and saw the winners sworn into office.
Today’s ruling now affirms that those officeholders are the only legitimate occupants of the local government councils.
Abioye issued a firm warning to the public and institutions: “Only the winners of the 2025 local government elections who have been duly sworn in are the legitimate officials.
Dealing with any other persons is an aberration and a big risk. This is a caveat emptor.”
He also called for formal public apologies from the AGF and IGP, stressing that legal advice and administrative directives must be rooted in law and guided by conscience.
The twin rulings have redefined Osun’s political order, offering closure to a protracted legal saga.
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More importantly, they mark a pivotal advance in the state’s democratic journey, reinforcing the supremacy of law, the autonomy of local institutions, and the principle that no authority should act above judicial rulings.
