The Chairman of the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSSIEC), Hashim Abioye, Esq., has declared that only officials elected during the February 2025 local government election are recognised as legitimate LG chairmen across the state’s local councils.
Speaking at a press conference held in Osogbo on Wednesday, Abioye addressed the tension following attempts by sacked local government officials from the nullified 2022 election to forcefully return to office.
He, also reaffirmed the commission’s position that the 2022 election had been lawfully nullified and that its products had no legal mandate to hold public office.
Read the full statement;
TEXT OF A PRESS CONFERENCE ADDRESSED TODAY BY HASHIM ABIOYE, ESQ., CHAIRMAN OF OSUN STATE INDEPENDENT ELECTORAL COMMISSION ON THE STATE OF AFFAIRS OF THE NULLIFIED 2022 OSUN LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTION AND THE 2025 OSUN LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTION, TODAY WEDNESDAY 18TH JUNE, 2025.
Gentlemen of the press,
I have called on you as critical stakeholders in our electoral process and democratic system to address some issues of serious concerns having to do with the purported election conducted by Osun State Independent Electoral Commission in October 2022 and the election conducted by the Commission in 2025.
By the effect of the Federal High Court judgment dated 30th November, 2022 which was affirmed by the Court of Appeal decision of 13th January, 2025 and further solidified by the most recent decision of the Court of Appeal of 13th June, 2025, the purported beneficiaries of the said election remain sacked.
I need to add further that immediately after the sack of the products of the 2022 Local Government election by the Federal High Court, in 2022, this Commission withdrew their respective certificates of return. As at today, the fact remains that there has not been any court order reversing or upturning the status quo and as such those respective certificates of return remain withdrawn till date. There has been no justifiable legal ground or compelling situation to re-issue same to the sacked local government officials, nor there has arisen any special circumstance to warrant a revalidation of the said certificates, nor is there any justification for the sacked officials to continue to parade themselves as elected officials.
Furthermore, Certificates of Return have been issued to validly elected council Chairmen and Councillors after the conclusion of the February, 2025 local government election conducted by this Commission.
Nowhere in the judgement of 10th February, 2025 was an order of reinstatement made as there was no finding on the status of the election purportedly conducted by the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSSIEC) in 2022 in the said judgement.
The only subsisting and binding judgement is that of the Federal High Court dated 30th November, 2022 which was a judgement in rem which has been affirmed by the Court of Appeal and further strengthened by the most recent decision of the Court of Appeal dated 13th June, 2025, which is the latest on the status of the purported 2022 local government election.
As at today I make bold to say, without any equivocation, that the only legitimate political authority over Osun local council today are the products of February 2025 local government election conducted by this Commission which has never suffered any legal defect nor judicial nullification as against that of 2022 which has been nullified. We have notified the appropriate authorities, including the Osun State Ministry of Local Government, the Osun State Local Government Service Commission, the Central Bank of Nigeria, amongst others, of this sacrosanct position so as to be properly guided.
I have gone this lane of voyage to prompt reasonable people; legal experts, lovers of democracy; and most especially critical stakeholders to rise to the occasion and in one loud voice condemn the act of brigandage, illegality and forceful takeover of our local council offices by the sacked officials.
We all must condemn the partisan and biased stance of the Attorney General of the Federation and the Inspector-General of Police who have lent their powers and authority to back the illegal act of the hijackers without any justification. These sacked officials have summoned the shameless boldness, even after losing gallantly in court on 13th June, 2025, to still go back to the local council offices forcefully, posing open threat and menace to the public, sharing bottles of alcoholic drinks in such a rude and crude manner, grandstanding in public properties. What for!
Against this background, I want to assure the public that the confidence reposed in us by them, we shall not betray and as a constitutional body, we owe the public a duty of truthfulness, honesty, transparency and accountability.
I thank you.
