, Hashim Abioye, has declared that only the chairmen and councillors){kind=link}
The Chairman of the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSSIEC), Hashim Abioye, has declared that only the chairmen and councillors elected during the local government elections conducted on February 22, 2025, are legally empowered to manage the affairs of local councils across the state.
Speaking amidst the growing political tension and administrative paralysis that has gripped Osun’s 31 local government areas, Abioye affirmed that the OSSIEC-supervised elections were conducted in strict adherence to constitutional guidelines and legal requirements. He emphasized that there was no existing court order that invalidated or prohibited the electoral exercise.
“Our products of the February 22, 2025, election are the only constitutionally and statutorily recognized officials. As of today, no individual or authority—outside of those elected in that poll—can validly exercise managerial or administrative functions over the state’s local councils,” he asserted.
The state has been plunged into a governance crisis following a fierce tussle for control between the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Tensions escalated after a Court of Appeal ruling in Akure, which the APC interpreted as reinstating the previously sacked council chairmen and councillors elected during the October 15, 2022 elections held under former Governor Gboyega Oyetola’s administration.
However, the Osun State Government and the PDP have rejected this interpretation, insisting that the appellate court did not issue any directive restoring the 2022 officeholders.
In response to the lingering legal and political uncertainty, OSSIEC proceeded to organize fresh local government elections on February 22, 2025. The commission declared a new crop of council leaders, who were subsequently sworn in, marking what it described as a legally valid democratic transition at the local level.
Abioye clarified the legal distinction between the two elections, noting that the 2022 local government polls—conducted in a YES/NO format—were rendered invalid by two separate judgments from the Federal High Court, which led to the removal of those elected through that process.
“The 2022 YES/NO elections were nullified by the courts, effectively creating vacancies across the councils. OSSIEC stepped in accordingly, issued notices, conducted elections, and returned duly elected officials who were sworn in. That is the legal position,” Abioye explained.
The situation took a tragic turn on May 17, when members of the APC, claiming to have been reinstated by the court, attempted to forcibly resume office duties in various council secretariats.
This led to violent confrontations with PDP supporters, resulting in fatalities. Among the six people killed was Remi Abbas, the purportedly reinstated chairman of Irewole Local Government.
Despite the deadly clash, APC loyalists reportedly took over council offices across the state the following week. In protest, civil servants have since withdrawn their services, effectively paralyzing local administration.
Abioye has issued a stern warning to individuals, institutions, and government agencies, cautioning them against recognizing or engaging with anyone other than those elected during the February 2025 election.
“Engaging with any person or group outside of the legally elected officials produced in the 2025 elections is not only illegitimate but also a risky endeavor,” he warned.
As the standoff continues, the legitimacy of local governance in Osun State hangs in the balance, with workers, political actors, and legal institutions caught in a complex web of court judgments, electoral mandates, and partisan rivalry.