20th February 2025
The Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has officially withdrawn from the local government election scheduled for Saturday, February 22.
This decision was outlined in a letter dated February 17, signed by the APC State Publicity Secretary, Alao Kamorudeen, and addressed to the Secretary of the State Independent Electoral Commission. A copy of the letter, obtained by the News Agency of Nigeria in Osogbo on Thursday, cited the recent Court of Appeal judgment on February 10 as the reason for the withdrawal.
According to the APC, the ruling reinstated its previously sacked chairmen and councillors, making the election unnecessary. The letter emphasized that since the court nullified an earlier Federal High Court judgment that removed the officials, their seats were no longer vacant.
The letter read:
“By the judgment, the elected officers have resumed office as allowed by the Appeal Court. The implication of this ruling is that the seats are no longer vacant. In view of this, the APC and its candidates are hereby withdrawing from the February 22 local government election.”
The Court of Appeal’s ruling has sparked a dispute between the APC and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), with both parties interpreting the judgment differently. While the PDP argues that the ruling did not reinstate the sacked APC officials, the APC maintains that they should resume office.
Tensions escalated on Monday as both parties laid claim to control of local government secretariats across the state. The situation turned violent, leading to clashes that resulted in six deaths and several injuries, according to the police.
