Osun LGs : HURIWA protests in Abuja, demands FG uphold court ruling sacking APC officials

Pro-democracy group, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), on Tuesday staged a peaceful protest in Abuja to denounce the continued occupation of local government secretariats in Osun State by officials of the All Progressives Congress (APC), despite multiple court rulings upholding their removal.

Addressing journalists during the protest, HURIWA’s National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, condemned the APC officials’ actions as a flagrant violation of judicial orders and a threat to democratic governance.

The group specifically urged the Federal Ministry of Finance to immediately cease the allocation of funds to the APC officials, and instead redirect financial resources to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chairmen and councillors who were elected on February 22, 2025.

Onwubiko stated: “Today we gather here to peacefully protest the financial implications of the APC’s actions in Osun State. Despite the court judgments, the APC officials continue to occupy the Local Government Council Secretariats, parading themselves as Chairmen and Councillors without any valid judicial or electoral mandate.”

He further called on the Minister of Finance to respect the rule of law and uphold constitutional governance:

“We urge the Minister of Finance to take note of the financial implications of these actions and ensure that funds are not allocated to illegal occupiers of Local Government Council Secretariats across Osun State. Instead, we request that the Minister allocates funds to the PDP Chairmen and Councillors who were duly elected on February 22, 2025, pursuant to the valid OSSIEC notice of February 19, 2024, and in accordance with the Electoral Act 2022.”

HURIWA emphasized that the situation in Osun poses serious risks to democratic stability and public confidence in legal institutions.

“This action will help to uphold the Constitution, the rule of law, and democratic governance. It will also prevent further erosion of public confidence in the legal and democratic process… The APC’s actions are a clear disregard for the court judgments and the democratic process. They are attempting to cling to power despite being sacked by the courts. This is a recipe for chaos and instability, and we urge the Minister of Finance to take swift action to prevent further crisis.”

The group also demanded urgent coordination between the Ministries of Finance and Justice to enforce court decisions: “We demand that the government recognizes and provides full financial backing to the PDP Chairmen and Councillors who were duly elected on February 22, 2025. We also urge the Minister of Finance to work closely with the Minister of Justice to ensure that the financial implications of the court judgments are given effect to…”

The protest, which later moved to the Federal Ministry of Justice, included further appeals for the enforcement of judicial rulings that nullified the controversial October 15, 2022 local government elections organized under the APC.

HURIWA stressed that recent court decisions had not affirmed any reinstatement of the sacked APC officials:
“The Court of Appeal’s ruling on February 10, 2025, in Appeal No: CA/AK/270/2022, did not affirm the reinstatement of the APC Chairmen and Councillors who were removed following the controversial local government elections of October 15, 2022. Instead, the court struck out the PDP’s suit on procedural grounds, deeming the issues ‘academic’. The court made it clear that it did not delve into the merits of the alleged reinstatement, and any contrary claim is plainly false,” the group said.

The group challenged the APC to produce any legal directive reinstating their officials, calling such assertions deliberate misinformation:
“We challenge the APC to produce any portion of the Court of Appeal judgment where it explicitly ordered the reinstatement of the sacked officials, stressing that no such directive exists..,” HURIWA’s Onwubiko said.

HURIWA also referenced other court rulings, including a November 30, 2022 decision by the Federal High Court in Suit No: FHC/OS/CS/103/22, which nullified the APC-led elections. Subsequent appeals, the group said, were dismissed or struck out.

“The Federal High Court in Suit No: FHC/OS/CS/103/22, delivered on November 30, 2022, had unequivocally sacked the APC officials. All attempts to relitigate or overturn that judgment have failed. The Court of Appeal dismissed the APC’s appeal on January 13, 2025, for lack of diligent prosecution and subsequently rejected their application for relisting on June 13, 2025,” the group said.

The rights group called on the Minister of Justice to enforce the latest Appeal Court ruling and direct security agencies to remove those still occupying council offices illegally.

“We urge the Minister of Justice to give effect to the Court of Appeal judgment delivered on June 13, 2025, which reaffirmed the valid Federal High Court judgment of November 30, 2022. We also request that the Minister issues directives to the Inspector-General of Police and other security agencies to vacate all illegal occupiers from the Local Government Council Secretariats across Osun State,” the group said.

HURIWA also reiterated its demand for the recognition and financial support of the duly elected PDP officials in accordance with constitutional and electoral provisions.

“We will not stand idly by while the rule of law is being undermined. We will not stand idly by while democracy is being threatened. We demand that justice is done and seen to be done, in line with binding court decisions and existing electoral laws,” Onwubiko said.