The Osun State faction of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has formally announced its withdrawal from the local government election scheduled for Saturday, February 22. This decision was articulated in a letter dated February 17, signed by the APC State Publicity Secretary, Alao Kamorudeen, and addressed to the Secretary of the State Independent Electoral Commission.
A copy of the letter, which was obtained by the News Agency of Nigeria on Thursday in Osogbo, indicated that the APC chose to withdraw in light of the Court of Appeal judgment issued on February 10, which reinstated its previously elected chairpersons and councilors.
The letter stated: “It is important to note that the judgment of the Federal High Court in suit No. FHF/OS/CS/94/2022 was effectively nullified on February 10 by the Court of Appeal in Akure, case No. CA/AK/270/2022, involving the APC and three other parties versus the Peoples Democratic Party and others. The outcome of this case reinstates the elected officials to their positions as sanctioned by the Appeal Court.
“The implications of the Court of Appeal judgment, as indicated, are that the seats held by these officials are no longer considered vacant.
“In light of these developments, we hereby formally communicate that the APC and all its candidates have, through this correspondence, notified the commission of our decision to withdraw from the upcoming local government election scheduled for February 22. This election has now become unnecessary, superfluous, and unlawful in light of the recent judicial pronouncement.”
Tensions have arisen between the APC and the PDP concerning the Court of Appeal judgment regarding the status of the dismissed APC council chairpersons and councilors. The PDP contends that the judgment of the Court of Appeal on February 10 did not reinstate the dismissed APC chairpersons and councilors elected in 2022. Conversely, the APC maintains that these officials should return to their positions within the local government secretariats.
The conflict escalated on Monday as both parties asserted a claim over local government secretariats throughout the state. The police have confirmed that this conflict resulted in six fatalities and numerous injuries.