An Osun State High Court in Osogbo, on Friday, ordered the State Independent Electoral Commission, OSIEC, to conduct the local government election scheduled for Saturday, February 22, 2025.
The court, in an enrollment order brought before Justice A. Aderigbigbe by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP against OSSIEC and Its Chairman, Hashim Abioye, stated that there is vacancy in the 30 local government areas of the state as held by the judgement of the Federal High Court.
Justice Aderibigbe held that vacancies exist in Osun LGs after the election conducted by OSSIEC on October 15, 2022, was invalidated by the Federal High Court FHC/CS/OS/103/2022; in Action Peoples Party VS Independent National Electoral Commission & ors. delivered on November 30, 2022.
He also said the judgment of the Federal High Court was confirmed by the decision of the Court of Appeal in Appeal No. CA/AK/226M/2024, Allied People Movement & ORS vs Action Peoples Party & ORS delivered on January 13, 2025.
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Consequently, the court upheld the prayers of the PDP in the suit.
The court further directed and compelled all the security agencies, comprising the Nigeria Police, the Nigeria Army, the Department of State Security Services (DSS), the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC), the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), the Amotekun Corps, the Vigilante group etc in the state to provide adequate security during and after the election.
The order dated Friday, February 21, 2025, partly read, “1. An order of this honourable court is granted, recognising the existing vacancies across all the 30 Local Government Areas of Osun State, the election conducted by the first defendant on 15th October 2022, having being invalidated, nullified and voided, and the purported elected officials produced by the purported election having been sacked by the Federal High Court FHC/CS/OS/103/2022; in ACTION PEOPLE PARTY (APP) VS INDEPENDENT NATIONAL ELECTORAL COMMISSION (INEC) & ors. delivered on the 30th November 2022, and as confirmed by the decision of the Court of Appeal in Appeal No. CA/AK/226M/2024, ALLIED PEOPLE MOVEMENT (APM) & ORS vs ACTION PEOPLES PARTY (APP) & ORS delivered on 13th January 2025.
“2. An order of this honourable court is granted, directing, mandating and compelling the defendants to fill the vacancies across the 30 Local Government Areas of Osun State through a democratic process by proceeding to conduct the Local Government ELECTIONS already scheduled by the defendants for 22nd of February, 2025.
“3. An order of this honourable court is granted, directing, mandating and compelling all the security agents comprising of the Nigeria Police, the Nigerian Army, the Department of State Security Services (DSS), the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the National Drugs and Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), the Amotekun Corps, the Vigilante Groups etc. to provide adequate security and maintain peace and order before, during and after the local government election scheduled by the Defendants for February 22, 2025, in Osun State.”
Details later…
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