The All Progressives Congress in Osun State has officially withdrawn from the local government election scheduled for Saturday, February 22, citing a recent Court of Appeal judgment that reinstated its chairmen and councillors.
This was conveyed in a letter dated February 17, signed by the APC State Publicity Secretary, Alao Kamorudeen, and addressed to the Secretary of the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria, a copy of the letter obtained on Thursday in Osogbo stated that the party would not be participating in the election due to the ruling of the Court of Appeal in Akure on February 10.
The letter read, “Recall that the judgment of the Federal High Court in suit No. FHF/OS/CS/94/2022 was meritoriously nullified on February 10 by the Court of Appeal in Akure, in appeal No. CA/AK/270/2022 between APC and three others v. Peoples Democratic Party and others.
“By the judgment, the elected officers have resumed office as allowed by the Appeal Court.
“The implication of the Court of Appeal judgment, as cited above, is that the seats are no longer vacant.
“In view of the foregoing, we hereby state that the APC and all its candidates have, by this letter, informed the commission of our withdrawal from the local government election scheduled for February 22.
“The same has become unnecessary, superfluous, and unlawful due to this development.”
The withdrawal comes amid a deepening crisis between the APC and the Peoples Democratic Party over the Court of Appeal ruling.
While the PDP maintained that the February 10 judgment did not reinstate the sacked APC chairmen and councillors elected in 2022, the APC insisted that the ruling restored them to their respective offices.
Tensions escalated on Monday when both parties laid claim to control of local government secretariats across the state, leading to violent clashes.
The police confirmed that six people lost their lives, while scores sustained injuries during the crisis.
