HURIWA urges finance minister to stop funding illegal Osun APC councils

By Abubakar Yunusa

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has called on Nigeria’s Minister of Finance to immediately stop allocating funds to All Progressives Congress (APC) officials illegally occupying local government council secretariats in Osun State.

In a peaceful protest on Tuesday in Abuja, HURIWA, led by National Coordinator Emmanuel Onwubiko, accused APC officials of defying court rulings by continuing to act as chairmen and councillors despite being sacked by judicial orders.

Onwubiko highlighted a Federal High Court judgment from November 2022, which nullified the 2022 Osun local government elections, declaring them unconstitutional and void due to violations of the Electoral Act 2022.[

The group urged the Minister of Finance to redirect funds to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chairmen and councillors elected on February 22, 2025, under the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSSIEC) .

“Allocating funds to illegal occupiers is a waste of public resources and a breach of trust,” Onwubiko said, warning that such actions undermine the rule of law and could lead to chaos in Osun State.

HURIWA also petitioned the Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, to enforce the court rulings and ensure security agencies remove the APC officials from the council secretariats.

The group’s protest follows ongoing tensions in Osun, where APC officials, backed by some security forces, have resisted eviction despite court orders, escalating political unrest in the state

HURIWA stressed that funding the PDP officials would uphold democratic principles and restore public confidence in Nigeria’s legal system.

The organisation vowed to continue advocating for justice, calling on all stakeholders to respect the rule of law and prevent further instability in Osun State.