An Osun State High Court in Osogbo has mandated the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSIEC) and security agencies to proceed with the scheduled local government elections on Saturday. The ruling, delivered on Friday by Justice A. Aderigbigbe, came in response to an enrollment order filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) against OSIEC and its Chairman, Hashim Abioye.
The court reaffirmed that all 30 local government areas in the state currently have vacant positions, as previously determined by a Federal High Court ruling. It cited the judgment in suit FHC/CS/OS/103/2022, Action Peoples Party (APP) vs. Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) & Others, delivered on November 30, 2022.
This ruling had nullified the local government elections conducted by OSIEC on October 15, 2022, and removed the officials elected in that process. The decision was later upheld by the Court of Appeal in case CA/AK/226M/2024, Allied Peoples Movement (APM) & Others vs. Action Peoples Party (APP) & Others, delivered on January 13, 2025.Based on these rulings, the court confirmed the existence of vacancies in local government administrations and upheld the PDP’s request to proceed with fresh elections.
Additionally, the court directed all security agencies—including the Nigeria Police, Nigerian Army, Department of State Security Services (DSS), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Amotekun Corps, and local vigilante groups—to ensure adequate security before, during, and after the elections.
