Court adjourns Osun LG tenure case for hearing
By Deborah Oladejo, Osogbo –
The Federal High Court sitting in Osogbo, Osun State capital, on Monday adjourned hearing in a suit filed by reinstated chairmen and councillors of the All Progressives Congress (APC), seeking legal determination of their tenure of office.
The reinstated local government officials are also challenging the validity of local government elections allegedly conducted in February 2025 by the incumbent governor, Ademola Adeleke.
In the suit No. FHC/OS/CS/147/2025, filed by Onibonokuta Saheed and seven others against the Attorney General of the Federation and six others, the claimants are seeking, among other reliefs, a declaration on whether they are entitled to a three-year tenure beginning from February 2025, and whether the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSSIEC) could validly conduct elections into the same offices on February 22, 2025, during the subsistence of their tenure.
It would be recalled that the Osun local government administration crisis has been the subject of public debate and litigation since the Court of Appeal reinstated the elected APC chairmen and councillors on February 10, 2025.
At the hearing on Monday, counsel to the claimants, Barrister Muhydeen Adeoye, filed a motion seeking an order restraining the defendants from disturbing his clients in office pending the determination of the substantive suit.
However, counsel to the 3rd and 4th defendants, Barrister F.K. Labo-Popoola; counsel to the 5th defendant, Barrister Rachael Ojomi; and counsel to the 6th defendant, Barrister J.A. Ayanyemi, argued that they were still within the time allowed to respond to the originating summons.
The presiding judge, Justice Adefunmilola Demi-Ajayi, observed from court records that service of processes was not yet complete and directed that all parties be properly served before the next adjourned date.
Justice Demi-Ajayi, who had earlier assured of an expeditious hearing of the matter, adjourned the case to November 27, 2025, for hearing.
