By Abdulraheem Kawthar Adenike | Fact Frontier.
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The local government secretariats across Osun State have turned into centres of tension and political struggle. As of January 2026, a serious dispute between the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) has continued to paralyse activities in the state’s 30 Local Government Areas and the Area Office. At the centre of the crisis is a long-running disagreement over who legally controls grassroots administration.
The problem began with conflicting court judgments that both political parties now interpret in their own favour. Each side insists that the law supports its position, and this disagreement has kept local governance in Osun in a state of confusion for months.
The PDP-led state government, under Governor Ademola Adeleke, maintains that all APC-elected local government chairmen and councillors were lawfully removed from office. According to the state government, this action followed a Federal High Court judgment delivered in 2022, which nullified the local government election that brought the APC officials into power. The government argues that once that election was cancelled, the officials automatically lost their positions.
Osun State’s Commissioner for Information, Kolapo Alimi, has repeatedly defended this position. He has stated that any attempt to bring back the APC chairmen is illegal and will not be allowed. In his words, returning them to office would amount to encouraging unconstitutional actions, something the state government says it will resist.
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On the other hand, the APC strongly disagrees. The party bases its claim on a Court of Appeal judgment delivered on February 10, 2025, by the Osun Division of the appellate court. According to the APC, that ruling effectively restored its chairmen and councillors to office. The party insists that the Appeal Court decision overrides the earlier Federal High Court judgment.
APC Chairman in Osun State, Tajudeen Lawal, has argued that the Appeal Court clearly affirmed the APC officials as the legitimate leaders of the local governments. He has accused the Adeleke-led government of refusing to obey the law and described the situation as an example of executive lawlessness. From the APC’s perspective, the crisis is not about politics but about respecting the authority of the courts.
This legal confusion—where two court rulings appear to contradict each other—has created a dangerous vacuum. With no final and clear resolution, both parties have taken firm positions, leading to open confrontation at local government secretariats across the state.
Tensions increased towards the end of 2025 when questions arose about the tenure of the APC chairmen. According to reports, the tenure of the officials, even if reinstated, ended around October 26, 2025. This development sparked a new wave of controversy. Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) entered the debate, accusing the APC chairmen of remaining in office illegally after their tenure had expired.
In January 2026, a coalition of CSOs alleged that the APC officials were still occupying council secretariats without legal backing. The group’s convener, Stephen Olanrewaju, claimed that the chairmen were being protected by the Osun State Police Command. This accusation added another layer of tension, as it suggested that security agencies were taking sides in a purely political and legal matter.
The PDP echoed the concerns raised by the CSOs. Party officials described the APC chairmen as illegal occupants who no longer have any valid tenure. According to the PDP, the continued presence of APC officials in council offices is a deliberate attempt to hold onto power through intimidation and legal manipulation.
The APC, however, rejected these claims. Party spokespersons dismissed the allegations as false and misleading. They maintained that the chairmen remain in office based on the Appeal Court judgment and insisted that they are lawfully present at the secretariats.
Beyond the political arguments, the crisis has had serious consequences for ordinary people. With two groups claiming authority, local government administration has largely stalled. Development projects, council meetings, and basic services have been disrupted. Workers have faced uncertainty, and residents have felt the impact through delayed services and poor coordination at the grassroots level.
The continued stand-off has also raised concerns about public safety and trust in democratic institutions. The sight of heavily guarded secretariats and constant political accusations has created anxiety among residents and weakened confidence in the rule of law.
As of mid-January 2026, there is still no clear solution. Both the PDP and APC remain firmly entrenched in their positions. The police face ongoing accusations of bias, while the courts have yet to deliver a final, unmistakable judgment that settles the matter once and for all.
