The controversies over Justice Peter Obiorah-led panel ruling on the application to relist an appeal filed by All Progressives Congress in Osun State against the judgement that sacked its chairmen and councilors from office continued on Saturday as both APC LG officials and those elected on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party gave different interpretations to the court decision.

Both camps also claimed the court verdict favoured them.

On Friday, the appellate court dismissed an application by the APC seeking to relist an earlier appeal that had been struck out on January 13, 2025, for lack of diligent prosecution.

Delivering the judgment virtually, Justice Obiorah held that relisting the appeal could cause judicial confusion, insisting that the application lacked merit.

The case originated from a suit filed by the All Peoples Party against the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission at the Federal High Court, sitting in Osogbo, challenging the legality of the October 15, 2022, LG election, which featured only APC candidates.

The APC, which later joined the matter at the Federal High Court, had appealed the judgment after the lower court nullified the election.

However, the appeal was struck out earlier this year for failure to pursue it diligently.

The party’s attempt to have the case relisted was also dismissed on Friday.

Reacting to the judgment, the leadership of the Association of Local Government of Nigeria comprising chairmen elected in the October 15, 2022 elections conducted by the Adegboyega Oyetola administration, declared that the Appeal Court did not return PDP to the council areas in the state.

The association in a statement signed by its chairman, Abiodun Idowu further said, “As legal authority in 30 local governments and area office in the state, we wish to reassure the people of the state that there is no vacancy in local government administration in Osun State and urge the public to ignore the blatant lies and misinformation being circulated by PDP about the court of Appeal Akure.

“For record purposes, the Appeal Court ruling only established the potency of the judgment delivered on 10th February, 2025 which reinstated the Chairmen and Councillors elected on 15th October, 2022 and by implication and clearly there is no vacancy in Osun Local governments.

“We, therefore, assure our people that the local government administration is intact and of members should continue their official responsibilities in various council Secretariats in the state. We have alerted the security agents for protection and our members in all local governments.”

But taking a different position on the matter, the ALGON that has LG chairmen elected in the February 21 Osun Local Government Election, comprising of only PDP members and led by Mr. Sarafadeen Awotunde, stressed that the Court of Appeal verdict has put to rest issues surrounding local government election in the state, urging Osun APC and it’s LGA Chairmen to accept their fate.

Awotunde’s statement read in parts, “I want to use this opportunity to congratulate the good people of Osun that their mandate given to all chairmen and councillors across the 30 local government councils remains intact and recognised in the eyes of the law.”

The June 13 Akure Court of Appeal judgement has further confirmed the ruling on the null and void of the October 15 local government election conducted under the administration of former governor, Gboyega Oyetola.

“I call on the Yes/No chairmen, Osun APC, and their supporters to accept their fate by respecting the rule of law. I equally want to congratulate His Excellency, Governor Ademola Adeleke, for his peaceful approach in the face of aggressors who are head-bent on throwing the state into anarchy.

“We can not continue to lose lives and properties in our state over the control of local governments, Appeal Court has spoken,” he said.