An Osun State High Court sitting in Ilesa has ruled that vacancies exist in all 30 local government areas of the state and directed the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSSIEC) to proceed with elections to fill these positions.
Justice Adeyinka Aderibigbe made the ruling on Friday, February 21, 2025, in response to a motion filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in a suit against the OSSIEC and its chairman, Hashim Abioye. The motion concerned the invalidation of the October 15, 2022, local government elections by the Federal High Court, a decision later upheld by the Court of Appeal in January 2025.
The court also ordered law enforcement agencies, including the Nigeria Police, Nigerian Army, DSS, and others, to ensure adequate security and maintain peace during the upcoming local government elections, scheduled for February 22, 2025.
Justice Aderibigbe’s ruling emphasized the need for democratic processes to fill the vacancies, mandating OSSIEC to conduct elections in all 30 local government areas.
