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  • LG polls: Again, aggrieved APC members protest party’s choice in Yaba

    LG polls: Again, aggrieved APC members protest party’s choice in Yaba

    Some APC members in Yaba Local Council Development Area (LCDA) of Lagos State on Tuesday protested the alleged imposition of Mr Adebayo Adefuye as the council’s chairmanship candidate for the July 12 local government elections.

    The protest was reports that the protest was carried out simultaneously as the Lagos State APC was presenting party’s flags to its chairmanship and councillorship candidates for the polls.

    Scores of protesters, who came from different wards of Yaba LCDA, took to the streets to express their grievances.

    They displayed placards with various inscriptions such as “Adebayo is an Alien”, “Asiwaju, save our soul, Yaba LCDA rejects Adebayo Adefuye”, “Yaba rejects Adefuye” and “Adefuye is a foreigner.”

    Leading the protest, Mr Ismail Olorunimbe, a Chieftain of the party from Ward C, appealed to President Bola Tinubu and party leaders to save the party in the area by allowing the will of the party members to prevail.

    Olorunimbe, said that party faithful in the area were unhappy over the imposition of Adefuye, who he said had been allegedly earlier rejected as chairmanship candidate at Somolu Local Government.

    He said that Adefuye originally belongs to Somolu and not Yaba LCDA.

    According to him, the APC leadership should pick its chairmanship flagbearers from the 13 aspirants who initially contested for the party ticket.

    Read Also: Tinubu at 2025 PPP Summit: Nigerians want infrastructure, not promises

    Olorunimbe said, “The people of Yaba LCDA are not happy, you can see the crowd, we are appealing to President Tinubu to please intervene.

    “These people have laboured for the party, we need the President’s intervention to reverse this trend and not to allow imposing Mr Adebayo Adefuye from Somolu to be our candidate in Yaba LCDA.

    “Adebayo is an imposition and we won’t accept him, he should go back to Somolu and contest, we have capable hands, about 13 qualified aspirants came out here, they should pick among them.

    “Adefuye does not have structures, no cultural ties, no economic ties, and is not a resident of Yaba LCDA and does not know anything about the terrain.”

    He, however, maintained the group’s loyalty to the party.

    Olorunimbe queried the process that produced Adefuye as the candidate.

    Also speaking, Mrs Rasidat Ojoobaro, another party stalwart, appealed to the leadership of APC to please intervene, “to stop members from resorting to self-help.”

    Mrs Tayo Funsho, who also expressed grievances, said the APC must listen to the will of the loyal party members.

    It was reported that that the protesters moved from Adekunle roundabout to the Sabo area.

    Recall that 55 Chairmanship candidates emerged at the May 10 APC primaries leaving out Lagos Mainland Local Government and Yaba LCDA owing to issues bordering on litigations, and so delegates were absent.

  • LG polls: Again, aggrieved APC members protest party’s choice in Yaba

    LG polls: Again, aggrieved APC members protest party’s choice in Yaba

    Some APC members in Yaba Local Council Development Area (LCDA) of Lagos State on Tuesday protested the alleged imposition of Mr Adebayo Adefuye as the council’s chairmanship candidate for the July 12 local government elections.

    The protest was reports that the protest was carried out simultaneously as the Lagos State APC was presenting party’s flags to its chairmanship and councillorship candidates for the polls.

    Scores of protesters, who came from different wards of Yaba LCDA, took to the streets to express their grievances.

    They displayed placards with various inscriptions such as “Adebayo is an Alien”, “Asiwaju, save our soul, Yaba LCDA rejects Adebayo Adefuye”, “Yaba rejects Adefuye” and “Adefuye is a foreigner.”

    Leading the protest, Mr Ismail Olorunimbe, a Chieftain of the party from Ward C, appealed to President Bola Tinubu and party leaders to save the party in the area by allowing the will of the party members to prevail.

    Olorunimbe, said that party faithful in the area were unhappy over the imposition of Adefuye, who he said had been allegedly earlier rejected as chairmanship candidate at Somolu Local Government.

    He said that Adefuye originally belongs to Somolu and not Yaba LCDA.

    According to him, the APC leadership should pick its chairmanship flagbearers from the 13 aspirants who initially contested for the party ticket.

    Olorunimbe said, “The people of Yaba LCDA are not happy, you can see the crowd, we are appealing to President Tinubu to please intervene.

    “These people have laboured for the party, we need the President’s intervention to reverse this trend and not to allow imposing Mr Adebayo Adefuye from Somolu to be our candidate in Yaba LCDA.

    “Adebayo is an imposition and we won’t accept him, he should go back to Somolu and contest, we have capable hands, about 13 qualified aspirants came out here, they should pick among them.

    “Adefuye does not have structures, no cultural ties, no economic ties, and is not a resident of Yaba LCDA and does not know anything about the terrain.”

    He, however, maintained the group’s loyalty to the party.

    Olorunimbe queried the process that produced Adefuye as the candidate.

    Read Also: Osun APC will remain united after 2026 guber primary – Ex-Speaker Owoeye

    Also speaking, Mrs Rasidat Ojoobaro, another party stalwart, appealed to the leadership of APC to please intervene, “to stop members from resorting to self-help.”

    Mrs Tayo Funsho, who also expressed grievances, said the APC must listen to the will of the loyal party members.

    It was reported that the protesters moved from Adekunle roundabout to the Sabo area.

    Recall that 55 Chairmanship candidates emerged at the May 10 APC primaries leaving out Lagos Mainland Local Government and Yaba LCDA owing to issues bordering on litigations, and so delegates were absent.

  • Tinubu/Shettima 2027: APC Northwest group endorses continuation of joint ticket

    Tinubu/Shettima 2027: APC Northwest group endorses continuation of joint ticket

    The APC Northwest Reclamation Front has thrown its weight behind the continued pairing of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima for the 2027 presidential election.

    In a statement on Tuesday, the group’s national coordinator, Mallam Hisham Habib, and Deputy National Coordinator (Special Duties), Safwan Isah Umar, described Shettima as the most suitable running mate for Tinubu, urging the party leadership to retain him on the ticket.

    The group warned that removing Shettima as Vice President would create a significant vacuum and called on President Tinubu to intervene in the interest of party unity and national stability.

    They praised Shettima’s leadership credentials, noting his stellar record as former Borno State Governor and his loyal support for Tinubu’s Renewed Hope agenda.

    Read Also: 2027: Northeast APC declares support for Tinubu/Shettima ticket 

    Following consultations with key stakeholders from Kano, Kaduna, Katsina, Sokoto, Jigawa, Kebbi, and Zamfara States, the group said it reached a unanimous decision to support the Tinubu/Shettima ticket for a second term and appealed for calm among aggrieved party factions.

    “As a northern leader, Shettima remains a unifying figure committed to delivering the dividends of democracy to the region. Broader consultation is key to resolving internal party disputes,” the group noted.

    They also called on the APC leadership to prioritise the inclusion of women and youth and warned “desperate agitators” against sowing disunity that could cost the party victory in 2027.

  • APC grants waiver to new defectors for FCT council primaries

    APC grants waiver to new defectors for FCT council primaries

    Ahead of the February 2026 Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council elections, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has approved a waiver for all new entrants from opposition parties to participate in its primary election scheduled for June 25, 2025.

    The decision was reached during an emergency meeting of the APC’s National Working Committee (NWC) held Monday night at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja.

    Speaking on Tuesday while inaugurating the chairmen and secretaries of the Screening and Appeal Committees for the FCT council elections, APC National Organising Secretary, Alhaji Muhammed Suleiman Arugungu, confirmed the development.

    He stated that the party’s top leadership had approved the waiver to allow new members to contest in the party’s primaries, thereby expanding the pool of aspirants ahead of the local elections.

    He said, “The National Working Committee realised that some of the aspirants have just joined the party. In accordance with the constitution of our party, yesterday (Monday) NWC approved a waiver for all who have just joined the party. This is to allow them to come on board and participate in the forthcoming election.”

    Although the party’s constitution pegged eligibility for any aspirant to contest for the party’s ticket to one year of membership and should be up to date financially, the APC National Organising Secretary said the NWC has waived the clause for the forthcoming election.

    Inaugurating the committees on behalf of the National Chairman, Arugungu said 35 aspirants are jostling for the party’s chairmanship tickets in the six area councils, while 135 Councillorship aspirants are contesting for the 62 wards tickets.

    He further said that the NWC agreed that the screening exercise be conducted in three centers after consultation with the leadership of the party at the Federal Capital Territory.

    He explained that the exercise will have two of the councils in each of the three centres.

     Aspirants from Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) and Bwari Area Council are to be screened in Bwari; Gwagwalada will host the screening of aspirants from Gwagwalada and Kuje Area Councils, and aspirants from Abaji and Kwali Area Councils are to converge in Kwali for the same exercise.

    Arugungu also disclosed that AMAC has the highest number of 9 chairmanship aspirants, with 8 aspirants jostling for Bwari Area Council ticket, 7 aspirants will be slugging out in Kuje Area Council while in Kwali Area Council, 6 aspirants are eyeing the party’s ticket and 4 aspirants in Gwagwalada are in the race. Abaji Area Council has only one aspirant.

    For the Councillorship tickets, AMAC has 49 aspirants, Bwari 29, Gwagwalada 19, Kwali 14, Kuje 13, and 11 aspirants will appear for screening in the Abaji Area Council.

    Read Also: 2027: North Central APC Forum condemns disruption of Gombe meeting

    Admonishing the committees to be thorough in the discharge of their assignments, the National Organising Secretary added that they should be guided by the party’s guidelines and the Electoral Act.

    He said they should ensure a fool-proof screening that would guarantee that the party flag bearers are qualified to contest the election, in line with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) guidelines.

    “We are admonishing you to be thorough. Your committees should be fair to all, in line with the guidelines of the Constitution of the party. We should ensure that if any of our candidates is elected, we will have no fear of litigation when we win the election properly.

    Responding, on behalf of the committees, Hon. Akinfolarin Mayowa promised that the committees would not disappoint the confidence the party reposed in them.

    “We are going to be fair and just to all that will appear before us,” Mayowa assured

  • 2027: North Central APC Forum condemns disruption of Gombe meeting

    2027: North Central APC Forum condemns disruption of Gombe meeting

    The North-Central All Progressives Congress (APC) Forum has expressed disappointment over the disruption of the recent North-East APC stakeholders’ meeting in Gombe State, where President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was endorsed for a second term in 2027.

    In a statement on Monday, Chairman of the Forum, Saleh Zazzaga, described the disruption, which reportedly stemmed from the perceived omission of Vice President Kashim Shettima’s name during the endorsement, as regrettable and unwarranted.

    He said such grievances should have been channelled through the party’s internal mechanisms, not through public disorder or threats to party leadership.

    According to the Forum, resorting to intimidation and confrontation undermines the principles of internal democracy that the APC stands for.

    “Disagreements are normal in politics, but the use of thuggery or disruptive tactics violates the decorum and civility expected within our party,” the Forum stated.

    The Forum expressed particular concern over the treatment of the APC National Chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, who had to be escorted out of the venue under tight security, noting that he was merely carrying out his constitutional duties and should not have been subjected to such hostility.

    “The selection of a Vice Presidential candidate is entirely the prerogative of the President. It is not the role of the National Chairman to endorse or nominate a running mate. Dr. Ganduje has always maintained neutrality and respect for party processes,” it said.

    The Forum further called on Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Zulum, to address concerns regarding the alleged involvement of non-state actors in the protest, noting, “Allowing such precedent sends the wrong signal and risks eroding the culture of dialogue and consensus-building the party has worked hard to instil”.

    Backing its stance with data from the 2023 general elections, the Forum argued that the North-East has less justification to claim marginalisation, as the region delivered fewer votes for the APC compared to other zones.

    “The PDP secured 1.74 million votes in the North-East, while the APC got 933,000. Even in Borno State, the APC’s lead over the PDP was not overwhelming.

    “In contrast, the North-Central delivered over 1.76 million votes for President Tinubu, one of the highest regional tallies nationwide. If any zone were to raise concerns about recognition or reward, the North Central would have a stronger basis,” it noted.

    The Forum clarified that its caution was not about rivalry among zones but about fostering fairness and strategic thinking rooted in electoral performance.

    It also noted that the Muslim-Muslim ticket adopted in 2023 was a calculated political strategy relevant to that election cycle and may not necessarily apply in 2027.

    “Whether or not the same configuration remains viable will be a matter for party leaders to determine in due course, guided by national sentiment and electoral realities.

    “President Tinubu, as a seasoned statesman, will make the appropriate call, and we trust and support whatever decision he deems best,” it said.

    Read Also: Osun council crisis: APC petitions Police, DSS over alleged recruitment of thugs to attack reinstated excos

    The Forum dismissed suggestions that the Gombe disruption signals deeper unrest within the APC. Rather, it described the incident as isolated and not reflective of the overall health of the party.

    “The APC is larger than any single episode. Our party remains united, focused, and guided by clear leadership under President Tinubu and Dr. Ganduje.

    “Members must rise above personal grievances and work towards the common goal of progress,” the Forum cautioned.

    Reaffirming its support for President Tinubu’s second term bid, the Forum pledged to mobilise at least six million votes from the North-Central region in 2027.

    It also reiterated its full confidence in Ganduje’s leadership as National Chairman, saying the party is in safe and capable hands.

    “We urge party members to avoid actions that could destabilise our shared progress. Let us stay committed to unity, discipline, and strategic focus as we prepare for future victories,” the Forum warned.

    The Forum also called on political leaders to caution their followers against divisive conduct and promote internal reconciliation, stating, “Now is the time to build bridges, not burn them.

    “Let us put the interest of the party and the country above personal ambitions. Together, we can sustain the APC’s legacy and move Nigeria forward.”

  • FCT APC members petition Ganduje, allege PDP hijack plot ahead of 2026 council polls

    FCT APC members petition Ganduje, allege PDP hijack plot ahead of 2026 council polls

    Some aggrieved members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on Monday stormed the party’s national secretariat in Abuja, urging national chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje to stop alleged attempts by agents of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to hijack the party’s structure ahead of the 2026 Area Council elections.

    The protesting members, under the aegis of the APC Consolidation Group, accused new entrants—allegedly with ties to the PDP of marginalising loyal party stakeholders and manipulating internal processes to field preferred candidates.

    Displaying placards with inscriptions such as “We don’t want Aduda, we don’t want PDP members,” and “Stop PDP agents from hijacking APC FCT election,” the protesters alleged that key PDP leaders were scheming to install their loyalists within the APC to clinch council seats in the forthcoming polls.

    In a formal petition submitted to Ganduje and made available to reporters, the group called for the immediate disqualification of two aspirants—Danjuma Samuel Shekwolo and Christopher Zakka Maikalangu—whom they accused of being PDP loyalists attempting to subvert the APC’s internal democracy.

    The petition stated, “We write as loyal, concerned, and committed stakeholders of our great party… deeply alarmed by the dangerous infiltration of the FCT APC by individuals who neither reflect our values nor meet the constitutional requirements for nomination.”

    Citing Article 20.1(iii) of the APC Constitution, which requires at least three months of financial membership and fulfillment of all party obligations before any aspirant can contest for elective office, the group alleged a clear violation.

    They noted, for instance, that Shekwolo was a delegate at the PDP Zonal Convention on May 24, 2025, and obtained APC nomination forms just 48 hours later, an act they described as “opportunistic carpet-crossing and deceit.”

    Read Also: Ganduje receives Enugu LP Reps member, others into APC

    The group urged the party’s leadership to act swiftly to preserve its integrity and ensure only genuine members are allowed to contest in the upcoming elections.

    “Mr. Christopher Zakka Maikalangu, a sitting PDP Chairman of Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), who is also reportedly contesting under the APC platform for another tenure, has not met the mandatory three-month membership requirement. His sudden entry into our party is strategically calculated and violates both the spirit and the letter of our constitution.

    “These actions, if unchecked, will set a dangerous precedent — one that allows political turncoats and saboteurs to undermine our platform, frustrate long-serving loyal members, and turn APC into a safe haven for rejected opposition elements.”

    Speaking on the role of Senator Philip Aduda in undermining APC unity in FCT, the APC members in their petition said, “we further bring to your attention the alleged and troubling activities of former PDP Senate Minority Whip, Senator Philip Aduda, who has not only refused to publicly align with the APC but is actively working behind the scenes to install his loyalists in strategic Area Councils under our party.

    “Information reaching us indicates that Senator Aduda is leveraging the name of the Honourable Minister of the FCT, His Excellency Nyesom Wike, to intimidate party executives and force the imposition of these aspirants. We find this not only deceptive but also dangerous, as it fuels political tension within the FCT.

    “We want to categorically state that the Honourable Minister has not publicly endorsed any candidate, and therefore, Senator Aduda’s actions amount to blackmail, manipulation, and an abuse of political privilege.”

  • Osun LG crisis: APC petitions police, DSS over alleged recruitment of thugs to attack reinstated excos

    Osun LG crisis: APC petitions police, DSS over alleged recruitment of thugs to attack reinstated excos

    …APC is jittery—PDP

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) has petitioned the Osun State Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Abba, alleging a plot by aides of Governor Ademola Adeleke to recruit thugs and launch attacks on reinstated local government executives following a recent Appeal Court verdict.

    In a letter dated June 16, 2025, and also addressed to the Department of State Security (DSS), the APC through its legal adviser, Adegoke Ogunsola, accused some government functionaries and the state chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Sunday Bisi, of inciting violence capable of disrupting public peace.

    “The information at our disposal is that plans are being perfected to recruit armed thugs that will be deployed to attack the Local Government Councils’ political functionaries who were elected on October 15, 2022, on the platform of the APC,” the letter read in part.

    Read Also: APC Northeast endorses Tinubu, Shettima for 2027

    The APC called on the police to activate necessary security measures to protect its local government executives and their properties across the state.

    Reacting to the allegations, the PDP, through its Director of Media, Oladele Olabanji, dismissed the claims as baseless, accusing the APC of paranoia.

    “APC is always jittery over nothing. Perhaps they are haunted by what they did while in power. Governor Adeleke is a peaceful leader. If he were violent, many APC leaders wouldn’t even be in this state today,” Olabanji said.

  • Osun council crisis: Police deploy operatives in councils as APC, PDP executives resume Monday

    Osun council crisis: Police deploy operatives in councils as APC, PDP executives resume Monday

    A fresh crisis is looming in Osun State as local government executives of the All Progressives Congress(APC) and Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) are laying claim to the control of the councils amid dismissal of the case that was relisted.

    The Nation recalled that the Appeal Court on February 10, this year reinstated the APC executives earlier sacked by two Federal High Court verdicts. However, the appellate court dismissed an application by the APC seeking to relist an earlier appeal that had been struck out on January 13 for lack of diligent prosecution.

    Subsequently, the PDP executives elected on February 22, this year and Osun State government declared that they would resume councils, which had earlier been taken over by APC executives, stating that the dismissal of the fresh appeal upheld the sack of reinstated chairmen.

    Speaking with the chairman of the Association of Local Government of Nigeria(ALGON) for APC, Abiodun Idowu, stated: “The keys of the councils are with us, we have an enrollment order which validates that we are the legal occupant of the councils. Let the PDP’s illegal officials show the police their enrollment order.

    READ ALSO; Tinubu’s 2027 landscape: Reform, resistance and the road ahead

    “There is no fear, we are in control of the local government which is why our enrolment order made the IGP deploy its men to us. No fear, Osun residents should go about their normal business.”

    However, the ALGON Chairman for PDP, Sarafadeen Awotunde, told The Nation: “We are not interested in disrupting the peace and good governance we are enjoying in Osun State under Governor Ademola Adeleke. Resumption does not matter to us for now, but the developmental projects that we are enjoying in Osun State.

    “The Court of Appeal that gave the judgment on Friday knows the next step to take to chase out those hooligans, the government is continuing. We respect the rule of law. This issue is not between Osun APC and PDP but APC against the people of Osun State.

    Speaking with the Osun State Police Command through its spokesperson, Abiodun Ojelabi, he confirmed that they have deployed their men at the councils to forestall breakdown of peace.

    Meanwhile, Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has ordered the probe of heads of radio stations in the state for allowing opposition leaders to spread inciteful and violent comments over fresh Appeal Court verdict on council control.

    Adeleke noted that those comments and messages by the opposition leaders in the state breached the national broadcasting codes.

  • The opposition blame game

    The opposition blame game

    • By Chionye Hencs Odiaka

    Sir: As Nigeria heads toward the pivotal 2027 general election, the political landscape is once again shaped by turbulence, particularly within the opposition. Grappling with internal crises, many opposition parties have been quick to accuse President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of deliberately destabilising their ranks in a bid to steer the nation toward a one-party state.

    The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has dismissed these claims, insisting that the opposition’s troubles are largely self-inflicted.

    Yet internal crises are nothing new in Nigerian politics. What we see today reflects a long-standing pattern. Even the APC wrestles with its own disputes across states. The key difference lies in management: the APC, despite its challenges, has largely kept its internal issues from spilling into the open, while opposition parties appear unable to contain theirs, preferring instead to blame the president for their woes.

    Politics is, after all, a contest of ideas, organisation, and strategy. Power is not handed over voluntarily; it must be earned, seized, and defended. For the opposition, this requires principled, resilient leadership capable of uniting factions, inspiring loyalty, and presenting a clear, credible vision. Without such internal strength, parties remain vulnerable to division, infiltration, and manipulation.

    These dynamics are by no means unique to Nigeria. In every multiparty democracy, dominant parties work, often ruthlessly, to weaken their rivals. It is the duty of the opposition to build structures that can withstand these pressures. To expect otherwise is naïve. This is the nature of politics the world over.

    Across democracies, from the United States and United Kingdom to France, Canada, Germany, and Australia, ruling parties have long employed tactics to divide, weaken, or co-opt the opposition.

    In the U.S., parties have funded fringe candidates in opposing primaries or lobbied lawmakers to switch allegiance. In the UK, Brexit-era politics saw offers of peerages and government posts to opposition defectors. In Australia, governments have offered committee posts, perks, or negotiating positions to independents or minor party members to secure crucial votes. In France, President Macron’s rise owed much to recruiting key figures from rival parties, hollowing them out in the process.

    Such manoeuvres though rarely admitted publicly, are well-documented by journalists, historians, and political insiders alike. The lesson is clear: power is not given; it is taken through strategic action and disciplined organisation.

    Read Also: Tinubu orders security chiefs to restore peace in Benue

    If Nigeria’s opposition truly hopes to unseat the ruling party and offer the nation a credible alternative, it must stop expecting an easy path to power. The hard work begins within: building strong internal structures, fostering unity, and establishing mechanisms that protect against external interference.

    This is where the PDP, Labour Party, and others have repeatedly fallen short, leaving themselves vulnerable. The APC’s triumph over the PDP in 2015 was not just about merging parties; it was about building a solid structure and forging a unified, loyal leadership. Figures like Muhammadu Buhari and Bola Tinubu commanded respect and brought together diverse factions into a cohesive force that external actors found difficult to divide.

    That’s not to say the APC is immune to internal challenges; far from it, but it has so far managed them with greater success.

    This is the critical lesson for the opposition: less blame, more action. If they cannot govern their own parties effectively, how can they persuade Nigerians they are fit to govern the nation?

    Nigeria has endured enough from weak leadership. What the country needs now is not more excuses, but leaders of competence and vision. While the ruling party may have fallen short of expectations, Nigerians deserve a credible alternative, not leaders who merely capitalise on discontent, but those who can chart a better path forward.

    •Chionye Hencs Odiaka,

    Asaba, Delta State.

  • Police tighten security in Osun as APC, PDP officials plan council takeover 

    Police tighten security in Osun as APC, PDP officials plan council takeover 

    A fresh crisis is brewing in Osun State as local government executives of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lay conflicting claims to the control of council areas, following a recent court decision.

    The Nation recalls that the Court of Appeal, on February 10, 2025, reinstated APC council executives previously sacked by two Federal High Court rulings. 

    However, the appellate court also dismissed a subsequent application by the APC to relist an earlier appeal struck out on January 13 for lack of diligent prosecution.

    In the wake of this development, PDP chairmen elected on February 22, 2025, backed by the Osun State Government, announced their intention to resume control of the councils. 

    They argued that the dismissal of the APC’s fresh appeal effectively upheld the sack of the previously reinstated APC executives.

    READ ALSO: Top 10 affordable countries Nigerians can visit with low budget

    Reacting, the Chairman of the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON) for the APC, Abiodun Idowu, insisted that APC officials remain the lawful occupants of the council offices.

    “The keys to the councils are with us,” he said. “We have an enrolment order confirming our legitimacy. Let the PDP’s illegal officials show the police their own enrolment order.”

    “There is no fear, we are in control of the local government which is why our enrollment order made IGP deploy its men to us. No fear, Osun residents should go about their normal business.”

    However, the ALGON chairman for PDP, Sarafadeen Awotunde speaking with The Nation said “We are not interested in disrupting the peace and good governance we are enjoying in Osun State under Governor Ademola Adeleke. Resumption does not matter to us for now but the developmental projects that we are enjoying in Osun State. 

    “The Court of Appeal that gave the judgment on Friday knows the next step to take to chase out those hooligans, the government is continuing. We respect the rule of law, this issue is not between Osun APC and PDP but APC against the people of Osun State.

    Speaking with the Osun State Police Command through its spokesperson, Abiodun Ojelabi, he confirmed that they have deployed their men at the councils to forestall breakdown of peace. 

    “Our own is to provide security, to ensure that there is no breakdown of law and order, which we have put in place, we are not into politics, we are just to ensure safety. Our deployment has been done and I urge the people of Osun State to go about their business.”

    It could be recalled that the Managing Director of National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) Asiwaju Bola Oyebamiji raised alarm that the Osun State Government is planning to use Amotekun corps to eject reinstatement executives from the councils.