The Tinubu-led Federal government has called on Gov Ademola Adeleke of Osun State to suspend the local government elections scheduled for Saturday, February 22.
Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) Lateef Fagbemi made this known on Thursday while addressing the ongoing political crisis in the state.
Fagbemi stated that the law was clear on the issue fueling tensions between the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Reports indicate that the crisis has already led to violence, with some individuals, including a former council chairman, killed and several others injured in clashes over control of local government secretariats.
The Osun State government has blamed the unrest on the APC and former governor Gboyega Oyetola, now Minister of Marine and Blue Economy.
Despite the tensions, Adeleke has insisted that the election will proceed as planned, urging residents to participate.
However, Fagbemi, in his statement, noted that the court had overturned the order used to remove local government chairmen elected under the previous administration.
“The judgment of the Court of Appeal on February 10, 2025, has effectively restored the tenure of the removed local government officials, which will now run until October 2025,” Fagbemi said.
He warned that proceeding with the planned election would violate the Constitution and urged the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSIEC) to cancel it.
