A Federal High Court in Osogbo, Osun State, has sacked all local government chairmen and councillors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the October 15, 2022 local government elections.

Justice Adefunmilola Demi-Ajayi delivered the judgment on Monday, June 15, 2026, in a suit filed by the chairmen and councillors themselves. They'd asked the court to determine when their tenure actually started — because they were sworn in on October 25, 2022, but were immediately prevented from taking office.

The chairmen and councillors eventually returned to their posts in February 2025, after a legal battle, and have been running the councils since then. But the judge ruled that their three-year tenure ended in October 2025 — meaning they've been in office illegally for over seven months.

“The tenure of office of the elected officers of the local government councils ended in October 2025,” the judge held.

Governor Ademola Adeleke welcomed the ruling. He said the dismissal of the tenure extension request was in line with the constitution.

“The court also held that the sacked chairmen have no legal foundation to file the case in the first place. Based on this ruling, it's clear the Yes/No chairmen's tenure, if at all they have any, elapsed in October 2025,” Adeleke said.

The governor has now called on the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, to direct the Osun State Police Command to stop providing security cover for the chairmen. Adeleke said: “I specifically direct the Commissioner of Police to stop providing further security cover for the illegal occupation of the council secretariats by the sacked chairmen.”

But the APC in Osun State says the judgment also nullifies the February 22, 2025 local government elections conducted by the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSSIEC). In a statement, APC spokesperson Kola Olabisi urged the public to be wary of “misleading information” from the state government about those elections.

Meanwhile, the sacked officials have already filed an appeal. Their lawyer, Muhydeen Adeoye, told The PUNCH on Tuesday, June 16, that they'd lodged a Notice of Appeal at the Court of Appeal in Akure.

Adeoye said: “Six grounds of appeal were primarily raised. The appellants have, by the Notice of Appeal, said the lower court set up a case different from what was placed before the court for determination.”

He added that they've also filed a motion to stop the respondents — including Governor Adeleke, the Attorney General of the Federation, the Inspector-General of Police, the Osun State Attorney General, and OSSIEC — from disturbing the chairmen and councillors while the appeal is pending.

The suit, which started in September 2025, had already gone through several appeals on interlocutory rulings. The Court of Appeal in Abuja heard the matter on June 3, 2026, and adjourned further hearing to September 28, 2026.

  • October 15, 2022: Local government elections held in Osun State.
  • October 25, 2022: Chairmen and councillors sworn in but prevented from taking office.
  • February 2025: They return to office after a legal battle.
  • September 2025: Suit filed at Federal High Court, Osogbo.
  • June 3, 2026: Court of Appeal in Abuja hears interlocutory appeals.
  • June 15, 2026: Judgment delivered sacking the officials.
  • June 16, 2026: Notice of Appeal filed at Court of Appeal, Akure Division.

This is a developing story. The Court of Appeal will hear the substantive appeal later this year.