The Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has once again insisted that the All Progressives Congress, APC, local government officials occupying the council secretariats have no mandate or tenure and that they must vacate immediately.
Governor Adeleke also doubled down on alleged illegality across Osun State local governments, reaffirming that the self-awarded tenure of APC Chairmen lapsed on October 22, 2025 and cannot be elongated under the constitution and precedents set by Supreme Court rulings.
The Osun State helmsman made this known in a statement by his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, a day after his state broadcast in which he called out former Governor Gboyega Oyetola on his role in the current rule of force across Osun local governments.
The renewed declaration came amid sustained political tension over the control of local government councils across the state, with the governor’s camp insisting that the matter is purely constitutional and not partisan.
According to the statement, the governor maintained that respect for local government autonomy does not extend to what he described as the occupation of council secretariats by officials whose tenure has expired.
“Local government autonomy is not equal to unjustifiable seizure of local government funds meant for local health workers, teachers and pensioners,” Adeleke said.
He also stressed that his administration has continued to meet salary obligations at the grassroots.
Questioning the legal basis for the continued stay of APC officials in the councils, Governor Adeleke said, “the self-awarded tenure, which was an illegality in the first place, came to an end last year.
“If truly we are in a democracy, unelected people cannot lay claim to local governments or tamper with public funds. Tenure elongation without elections has no constitutional backing.”
Adeleke also raised concerns over the role of security agencies, arguing that protection should not be extended to individuals who have admitted that their tenure has lapsed and are seeking judicial intervention.
“The fact that you filed a case does not mean your tenure has been elongated. The constitution does not permit such extensions under any circumstance,” he said.
The statement also referenced alleged financial infractions, with the governor accusing a bank of opening and operating local government accounts in violation of state regulations, a matter he said is already before the courts.
“As governor, I affirm that this illegality must stop. The Presidency had been contacted over claims that the President’s name was being invoked to justify actions in Osun without authorisation,” he said.
Governor Adeleke appealed to supporters of democracy to resist actions that could undermine constitutional governance at the local level.
He also insisted that the welfare of local government workers should not be compromised.
As a response to the governor’s statewide broadcast, the Osun APC in a statement challenged claims made by Governor Ademola Adeleke.
The Osun APC insisted that the narrative surrounding local government administration and federal allocations was inaccurate.
According to the party, the broadcast failed to acknowledge that the Court of Appeal, in its judgment delivered on February 10, 2025, reinstated APC chairmen and councillors who were previously removed from office.
The party maintained that the judgment remained binding.
Eze Chidiebere Paul
I'm dedicated to creating high-quality content that informs, inspires, and delights. If you have any questions or suggestions, don't hesitate to get in touch. Happy reading!
