Adeleke urges calm, says no reinstatement order in Osun LG court ruling

From Lateef Dada, Osogbo

Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke has said the judgment of the Court of Appeal on the local government matter in the state contains no consequential order or reinstatement directives.

He urged politicians to abide by the rule of law and appealed to the electorate to peacefully exercise their rights at the Saturday local government elections.

A state broadcast message made available to newsmen in Osogbo by the governor’s spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, on Thursday, noted that normalcy has returned to the state after the face-off over the battle for the control of local governments.

Governor Adeleke, who stated that the judgment has been read and submitted to legal luminaries for proper interpretation, insisted that no order of reinstatement was made by the jurists.

“I particularly appreciate and commend our people for complying with my directives to stay away from local government secretariats. The compliance saved our state from further confrontations and casualties. It has returned the state of the living spring to its peaceful and loving nature.

“I regret to report to the good people of Osun State that the court-sacked APC chairmen and councillors went back yesterday, Wednesday, 19th February 2025, to forcefully break into the various local government secretariats. I urged and directed everyone in Osun State to stay away from the Local Government Secretariats to avoid any confrontation with them. The rule of law, through the judiciary, will eventually resolve the matter peacefully. Please, let us be patient.

“Those who claim to have a court judgment that ordered their reinstatement should approach the court for the enforcement of the said order of court instead of resorting to self-help, which is illegal. The Nigerian judiciary has its enforcement procedure, which everyone must follow. If you have a genuine court order, follow the court enforcement protocols.

“As a government, we have read through the said judgment. We have submitted it to the best of legal minds for interpretation. There is nowhere a reinstatement order was issued. No matter the manner of misinterpretation, that judgment contains no consequential order nor any reinstatement directive.

“Most importantly, the judgment in the APP suit, which sacked the APC chairmen and councillors, is still subsisting and alive. The appeal by APC against this judgment did not succeed at the Court of Appeal. The APC appeal was dismissed,” Adeleke said.