The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State has announced its decision to boycott the forthcoming local government elections scheduled for February 22.
The party’s decision is based on the recent Court of Appeal verdict, which reinstated the APC members who were elected in 2022 but sacked by Governor Ademola Adeleke in November of the same year.
According to the APC, the Court of Appeal verdict has rendered the local government positions not vacant, thereby making the scheduled election unnecessary.
The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, who is also the leader of the APC in Osun State, made the announcement on Friday at the Tinubu/Shettima Campaign office.
Oyetola stated that the party would not participate in any election that is deemed illegal, emphasizing that the APC members who were reinstated by the Court of Appeal verdict would resume their offices. The APC leader also urged the reinstated council chairmen and councillors not to engage in any form of violence, stressing that the party is committed to peaceful resolution of disputes.
Earlier, the State Chairman of the APC, Tajudeen Lawal, had praised Oyetola for his leadership and support during the court case that led to the reinstatement of the APC members. The development has also sparked a fresh controversy in the state, with the Osun Independent Electoral Commission (OSIEC) insisting on going ahead with the scheduled election.
