Safiu Kehinde
The All Progressive Congress (APC) has demanded the withdrawal of the Federal allocation from the newly elected Local Government Chairmen in Osun state.
Sequel to the swearing-in of the new Council officials by the state governor, Ademola Adeleke, at Osogbo on Sunday, the APC labelled the new officials as illegally elected.
It charged the Federal Government to only make allocation available to democratically elected and judicially certificate LG officials which in the statement issued by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, referred to the APC LG chairmen reinstated by the Court of Appeal.
“In keeping with the rule of law, it is our expectation that the FG will make federal allocation for LGs available only to democratically elected and judicially certified local government officials in Osun state.” Morka stated.
As contained in the statement, the APC accused Adeleke of disregard to the rule of law and breach his oath of office.
It recounted how the Court of Appeal sitting in Ondo had reinstated the APC LG officials with their tenure slated to expire by October 2025.
However, Adeleke had held on to the 2022 Osun Federal High Court ruling which sacked the Council officials.
The governor would proceed to appoint what the APC described as “illegal and unconstitutional caretaker committee”.
While admitting to respect the Federal High Court, the APC, however, held that the Appeal Court’s verdict overruled the Federal High Court ruling thereby questioning Adeleke’s insistence on the new election.
APC held that the Osun State governor should have exercised his government’s right to appeal to the Supreme Court rather than wasting public fund on the election.
“Why is it so difficult for Governor Adeleke, who swore an oath to uphold and defend the Constitution, to abide by a valid order of the Court of Appeal reinstating the sacked local government officials?
“Why is the Governor and his PDP vehement on taking matters into their own hands in disregard of a valid judgement of the Court of Appeal?
“Why is Governor Adeleke so desperate and determined to incite anarchy in Osun state with impunity? And why is the Governor so unaffected by the already tragic loss of lives of innocent citizens of the state in reckless breach of his duty to protect lives and property of all citizens in the state?
“The purported last Saturday’s fresh election conducted by Governor Adeleke and his PDP is nothing but a disgraceful sham, illegal, unconstitutional and violently contemptuous of the valid and subsisting judgment of the Court of Appeal, and of no effect whatsoever.
“The exercise was a reckless waste of public funds, and an irresponsible incitement to further violence in an already volatile atmosphere in the state.
“Governor Adeleke is under constitutional responsibility to respect and uphold the laws of our land, including giving effect to binding court judgements notwithstanding his personal or partisan political wishes or preferences.
“As he was quick to issue an executive order sacking the local government officials based on the Federal High Court judgment of 2022, Governor Adeleke is under clear constitutional obligation to similarly comply with the Court of Appeal judgment reinstating the same officials. The sensible and democratic remedy available to Governor Adeleke is to exercise his government’s right to appeal to the Supreme Court in the matter.” The statement read further.
APC, however urged the local government workers to resume to their duties under the reinstated LG Chairman and Councillors while charging the Police and other security agencies to prevent possible breakdown of law and order that may arise from Adeleke’s action.