The Osun State Government has described the Court of Appeal’s decision to strike out the All Progressives Congress (APC)’s application to revisit the nullification of the 2022 local government elections as a legal end to what it termed “political brigandage” in the state.
On Friday, the Court of Appeal sitting in Akure dismissed the APC’s bid to re-enlist its appeal against a Federal High Court ruling that had earlier declared the local council elections unconstitutional. The appeal was struck out for failing to meet the required conditions.
Reacting to the judgment, Osun Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, said the ruling vindicates the current administration’s position and puts to rest the prolonged legal tussle surrounding the controversial “Yes/No” chairmen installed by the previous APC-led government.
“To God be the glory that the political brigandage of APC has been legally destroyed,” Alimi declared during a press briefing in Osogbo. “It is quite unfortunate that despite clear and consistent court pronouncements, the APC continued to mislead the public into thinking those elections could stand. At no point did any court reinstate the sacked chairmen.”
Alimi accused the former administration, led by now Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola, of plunging the state into an avoidable crisis.
“The APC inflicted on the people of Osun — the most peaceful state in Nigeria — an unwarranted and unnecessary political crisis that led to the loss of lives and properties. They owe the people an apology,” he added.
The commissioner called on Oyetola and the APC to publicly apologize for what he described as a “chaotic and unlawful disruption of governance at the grassroots level”.
