Federal Government Agencies Sued by Osun State Over Local Government Council Control
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Accountant-General of the Federation, and the Attorney-General of the Federation have been sued by the Attorney General of Osun State at the Federal High Court of Nigeria sitting in Osogbo, Osun Judicial Division, over the administration and operation of Local Government Councils in Osun State.
This legal action arises in the context of a leadership dispute involving former Local Government Chairmen and Councilors affiliated with the All Progressives Congress (APC), who were purportedly removed from office following a subsisting judgment of the Federal High Court in Suit No. FHC/OS/CS/103/2022.
That earlier court decision had nullified the Local Government elections conducted on October 15, 2022, under the previous administration, on the grounds that they were unconstitutional or invalid.
On the 12th day of May 2025, the Attorney General of Osun State filed a Motion Ex-Parte seeking interim reliefs against the federal defendants.
The suit was issued at Osogbo under the Seal of the Court and the hand of the Honourable Judge, on 15th of May, 2025.
The motion prays the Honourable Court to grant urgent injunctive orders to prevent actions that the state government claims would undermine the integrity of the previous court ruling and the current administration’s authority.
Specifically, the motion seeks the following reliefs:
“AN ORDER OF INTERIM INJUNCTION restraining the Defendants/Respondents, acting for themselves or through their Agents, Privies, assigns and/or anybody or person whosoever from opening, operating and/or maintaining any Local Government Accounts in favour of any purported Local Government Council Chairmen and Councilors in Osun State who have been sacked/removed from office by a subsisting Judgement of the Federal High Court in Suit No. FHC/OS/CS/103 2022.
“AN ORDER OF INTERIM INJUNCTION restraining the 1 and 2 Defendants/Respondents from giving effect to, carry out, or further carrying out the directives of the 3rd Defendant/Respondent authorizing them to open and operate Local Government Accounts in favour of the sacked All Progressive Congress (APC) Local Government Council Chairmen and Councilors in Osun State pursuant to the nullified Local Government Election of 15th October 2022, which said Chairmen and Councilors have been duly removed from office by a subsisting Judgement of the Federal High Court in Suit No. FHC/OS/CS/103 2022, pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice for Interlocutory Injunction.
“AN ORDER OF INTERIM INJUNCTION restraining the 1st and 2nd Defendants from disbursing or causing to be disbursed any Allocation, Revenue of Funds standing to the credit of the 30 Local Government Councils in Osun State to the sacked All Progressive Congress (APC) Local Government Council Chairmen and Councilors in Osun State who have been duly removed from office by a subsisting Judgement of the Federal High Court in Suit No. FHC/OS/CS/103 2022, pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice for Interlocutory Injunction.
AND FOR SUCH FURTHER OR OTHER ORDERS as the Honourable Court may deem fit to make in the circumstances.
Upon this Motion Ex-Parte dated and filed on the 12th day of May 2025, supported by an affidavit sworn to by Olufemi Akande Ogundun, Male, Christian, Nigerian citizen, of Osun State Secretariat, Abere, Osogbo, Osun State, and after hearing learned Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Musibau Adetunbi, counsel for the Plaintiff/Applicant, the Honourable Court, presided over by Hon. Justice Adefunmilola A. Demi-Ajayi, hereby makes the following orders:
“An Order directing the Plaintiff/Applicant to serve all pending applications on the Defendants/Respondents within seven (7) days from 15th of May, 2025.
“An Order that all parties to this suit shall maintain the status quo in respect of the subject matter of this action, pending the hearing of the Motion on Notice.
“The matter is hereby adjourned to the 4th day of June 2025 for hearing.”