The Osun State Government has found itself in a heated standoff with the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, who recently directed the state to halt its planned local government elections.
Fagbemi argued that the Osun State Government cannot legally proceed with the elections and warned Governor Ademola Adeleke against continuing with the polls.
The Osun State Government, however, appears to be defiant and has responded to Fagbemi’s directive, setting the stage for a potential clash between federal and state authorities over the administration of local government elections.
In a statement signed by Nurudeen Kareem, Special Adviser to the Osun Governor on Legal Matters, the government acknowledged the AGF’s stance on the PDP versus APC case regarding the 2022 Osun local government election.
However, it emphasized the continued relevance of the APP v. APC case, citing the Federal High Court’s ruling in case FHC/OS/CS/103/2022, which was upheld by the Court of Appeal on January 13, 2025.
The Osun State Government argued that the judgment delivered by the Federal High Court on November 30, 2022, remains valid and binding until overturned by a higher court.
Kareem referenced the Supreme Court’s ruling in WADA v. BELLO (2016) 17 NWLR PT 1542 433, which affirms that court judgments must be respected at all levels of the judicial hierarchy.
Given the implications of the ruling on the integrity of the electoral process, the state government has called on the AGF to clarify his position on the matter.
“Given the significance of this judgment for the integrity of our electoral processes, we respectfully urge the AGF to provide clarity on this matter.
“The citizens of Osun and the broader Nigerian populace eagerly await his informed opinion, which we believe will contribute to a deeper understanding of the legal landscape surrounding these elections,” the statement partly reads.
