Accord Demands Court-sacked APC LG Chairmen, Councillors To Vacate Secretariats

The national leadership of the Accord Party has demanded the immediate vacation of all Local Government secretariats in Osun State by the All Progressives Congress (APC)-elected chairmen and councillors whose elections were nullified by the Federal High Court sitting in Osogbo.

In a statement issued from its National Secretariat in Abuja and signed by its National Chairman, Barrister Maxwell Mgbudem, Accord said the purported election that produced the APC local government officials was nullified in November 2022, and the judgement was upheld by the Court of Appeal on February 10, 2025, and again on June 13, 2025.

The party stressed that beyond the court rulings, the tenure of the APC chairmen and councillors “expired on 22nd October 2025,” insisting that there was no justification for them to continue occupying council secretariats.

Accord described the continued occupation of the local government offices, allegedly backed by police protection, as “outrageous” and a “calculated assault on the nation’s hard-earned democracy.”

The party also accused the former APC officials of engaging in what it called “forum shopping” after they reportedly approached the Federal High Court seeking an extension of their expired tenure.

“It is obvious that there is no place in the nation’s Constitution and Electoral Act that permits tenure extension for any elected official,” the statement said, warning that such actions amount to a mockery of representative democracy.

Accord further demanded the immediate release of ₦130 billion statutory allocations meant for Osun State local governments, alleging that the funds were being illegally withheld by the Federal Government.

According to the party, withholding the allocations is “unfair and unjust” and would cripple governance at the grassroots level, which it described as “the government closest to the people.”

The party urged the Inspector General of Police to withdraw police protection from what it termed “illegal occupants” of the local government secretariats, alleging that they were operating in contempt of court judgments and beyond the expiration of their mandate.

Accord maintained that the only lawful local government leaders in Osun State are the chairmen and councillors elected on February 22, 2025, and sworn in on February 23, 2025, as ordered by the Osun State High Court.

It said the duly elected officials deserve police protection to perform their constitutional duties, alongside civil servants who were allegedly chased away from the secretariats by the displaced politicians.

The party called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene urgently, warning that governance at the grassroots in Osun State is at risk.

“The need to restore order and democratic values in these local governments cannot be overemphasized,” Accord said.

It also alleged that the situation could be part of a wider attempt by “reactionary forces” to cause confusion and political upheaval with the aim of declaring a state of emergency in the state.

Accord commended Governor Ademola Adeleke for what it described as “political sagacity, maturity, restraint and respect for the rule of law” despite alleged provocation by the former APC officials and their supporters.

The party said it passed a vote of confidence in Adeleke’s leadership and urged him to remain focused on delivering democratic dividends to the people of Osun State.

“Osun State is Accord stronghold, in one accord we shall build a prosperous society future generations will be proud of,” the statement added.