● Judgement Implies Validity of Appeal Court Judgement Upholding Election of February 22
●Adeleke Congratulates ALGON
The Supreme Court judgement today implies that only local government chairmen elected after the exit of former Governor Gboyega Oyetola have the locus standi to bring the case on Osun LG allocations.
In a landmark judgment, the apex court affirmed further that it is only LGA that can institute the case and not the state government, declaring that the dispute should be between LGA and the AGF.
The court further hinted that the LG chairmen elected after the nullification of the Oyetola administration’s conducted poll ought to have filed the suit.
It dropped strong hints that those who won the 2025 local government election and having been inaugurated are the legally recognized persons that can sue and be sued directly.
The apex court which indirectly validated the Court of Appeal Judgement relied on its earlier judgement which barred the state government from handling LG allocations.
The Appeal Court Judgement had earlier authenticated the mandate of Local Government Chairmen elected on February 22rd who have since been sworn in by the state governor, Ademola Adeleke.
The Apex court which was insistent on upholding LG autonomy suggested that since there is an elected leadership at the local level, the Attorney General of Osun state can not act on their behalf.
The Judgement which was six to one further prompted the LG leadership elected to either take up the case as the mainly affected party or rely on ongoing cases to relay the matter before the Supreme Court.
Legal experts at the hearing noted that the Supreme Court has only returned the matter to the Judgement delivered by the Court of Appeal which recognised the LG chairmen elected in 2025.
“I think the Supreme Court has just pointed out the way out of the imbroglio. The people affected are those they call sit at home chairmen. They should have been the one who will bring the case.
“Indirectly, the Supreme Court has recognised the 2025 elected chairmen. It also implies confirmation that only one set of LG leadership exists today and those are the 2025 set.
“Also the ruling sustains the order on the banks never to release the money to any fake chairmen. It means the Yes/No people who had no tenure in the first place can never touch the money.
“So what is next is for the authentic ALGON to rise to occasion and push for their rights”, the legal hand noted.
Meanwhile, reports indicated that Governor Ademola Adeleke has reportedly congratulated elected chairmen and councillors on their recognition by the apex court which is the highest court in the land.
The governor was reported to have called the chairman of Osun ALGON, Hon. Sarafadeen Awotunde (Spain) shortly after the delivery of the Judgement, describing the outcome as a big plus for grassroots democracy.
“Mr Governor has congratulated ALGON on the outcome. He told us to be happy that finally our mandate has been affirmed by the Supreme Court.
“The Governor asked Spain to tell his people to give glory to God. Today, Spain led ALGON remains the authentic LG leadership according to the apex court”, a chairmen who was with Spain said.
