A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Kunle Adegoke, has urged the Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to resist what he described as “anarchy-driven” interpretations of the court ruling on the ongoing crisis over control of local councils in Osun State.
In a letter dated June 26, 2025, and also copied to the Accountant-General, Director-General of the DSS, Commandant-General of the NSCDC, and the Inspector General of Police, Adegoke criticised fellow SAN, Professor Mike Ozekhome, over his letter supporting the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members as legitimate council executives.
Adegoke, who is counsel to the reinstated All Progressives Congress (APC) chairmen, described Ozekhome’s position in the letter to AGF Fagbemi as containing “inaccuracies, half-truths and distortions” aimed at undermining the ruling of the Court of Appeal delivered on February 10, 2025, which reinstated the APC executives.
He condemned the actions of political actors, particularly some PDP members of the House of Representatives, for allegedly spreading false narratives regarding the situation.
According to him, the judgment in suit number CA/AK/270/2022 remains the valid and binding judicial decision affirming the APC Chairmen and Councillors as the duly elected officials for the 30 local government councils in Osun State.
Read Also: Cleric urges Nigerians to shun negative confessions, preaches hope amid hardship
“The ruling did not merely strike down the lower court’s decision on technical grounds; it addressed the matter on its merit and unequivocally allowed APC’s appeal. This is the true and authentic position of the law.”
He explained that that the June 13, 2025 Judgment cited by Ozekhome is being mischievously twisted to suggest that the Court of Appeal validated the PDP’s so-called election of February 22, 2025.
Adegoke described the citation as false, saying,pp “The June 13 ruling pertained to a motion to relist a sister appeal in the APM matter, which the Court rightly refused, stating that doing so would amount to reviewing or sitting in appeal over its own February 10, 2025 decision. The leading ruling explicitly warned against the confusion that such a resurrection would create. Nowhere did the leading ruling affirm the PDP’s chairmen and lawmakers purported election.”
He urged on Fagbemi, to disregard Prof. Ozekhome’s letter, saying “This is not just a matter of partisan dispute. It is a crucible in which the soul of our democracy is being tested. Will legal order prevail over political expediency? Will truth overcome manipulation? Will the law be supreme?”