Osun Political Tension Rises as APC, PDP Candidate Adebayo Give Conflicting Reactions to Supreme Court Ruling
Osun State’s political atmosphere intensified on Saturday as the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Adedamola Adebayo, issued sharply divergent interpretations of the Supreme Court’s ruling on the matter of withheld local government allocations.
Both sides swiftly claimed victory, while also cautioning their supporters and rivals in the wake of the judgment.
According to details PulseNets learnt, the reactions were issued in separate statements released in Osogbo, each asserting contrasting implications of the verdict.
The Osun APC, through its Chairman, Tajudeen Lawal, applauded the ruling, arguing that the Supreme Court had effectively reinforced its July 2024 decision affirming full financial autonomy for local council administrations across the state. The party maintained that the judgement once more nullified the actions of what it described as illegally elected PDP chairmen and councillors.
However, Lawal sharply criticised the Osun State House of Assembly for hurriedly passing the Local Government Accounts Administration Bill, 2025, shortly after the ruling. He branded the move as “unconstitutional and a calculated attempt to weaken the effect of the court’s decision”.
In the statement, Lawal declared:
“The bill is unconstitutional and nothing but a failed attempt to scuttle the Supreme Court’s July 2024 judgement on local government financial autonomy — a position reinforced again today, where the Osun State Government and its ‘sit-at-home appointed chairmen and councillors’ lost resoundingly.”
The APC questioned the speed with which the Assembly passed the bill, alleging that lawmakers were “driven by the heat of the same legal battle they ignorantly initiated.” The party insisted that the rule of law had triumphed and argued that the new legislation was crafted to undermine the authority of chairmen and councillors reinstated under its platform.
It urged residents to hold the lawmakers accountable and warned the Assembly against acts it claimed were designed to mislead the public. The statement also alleged that certain individuals were impersonating members of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), calling the act criminal.
The party added:
“If the ‘sit-at-home’ purported council chairmen have no adviser, they may consult knowledgeable people to educate them that their baseless suit before the Supreme Court was dismissed without substance.”
On the other hand, PDP governorship candidate for the 2026 Osun election, Adedamola Adebayo, offered a different reading of the ruling. Adebayo — who secured 919 votes in the PDP primary held on Tuesday — welcomed the judgement, insisting it opened the way for PDP-elected chairmen to formally assume office.
In a statement obtained by PulseNets, he urged members of his party to celebrate peacefully and refrain from any conduct that could lead to unrest. He noted that the PDP had maintained discipline throughout the legal battle and must continue to do so as the political transition unfolds.
Adebayo stated:
“We received the Supreme Court verdict with joy because it has finally affirmed our long-standing position. The PDP is the true beneficiary of this sound judgement, and those elected on our platform should celebrate this victory responsibly.”
He advised political opponents to avoid violence and vowed to rely strictly on legal channels to ensure that PDP-elected local government leaders take charge without disruption. He further praised the restraint shown by PDP faithful since the case began, saying such conduct would positively shape the performance expected from public officeholders.
“I urge our supporters to remain steadfast as we move towards the next election,” he added.
Also Read: Adeleke’s absence, strategy to avoid giving report of one-year stewardship — Osun APC
PulseNets also learnt that the Supreme Court on Friday struck out a suit filed by the Osun State Government seeking to compel the Federal Government to release withheld allocations to the state’s local governments. A seven-member panel ruled 6–1 that the suit lacked legal competence.
Both APC- and PDP-aligned ALGON factions had earlier claimed victory following the decision, each welcoming the court’s pronouncement from opposing political angles.
