By Abubakar Yunusa
Two major civil society organisations have called on the Federal Government to immediately enforce court rulings declaring the occupation of Local Government Secretariats in Osun State by All Progressives Congress (APC) officials as illegal.
In peaceful protests held in Abuja, the Nigeria Society for Democracy and Good Governance (NSDGG) and the Coalition of Civil Society for Justice and Equity (CCSJE) urged Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), and the Minister of Finance to intervene.
They demanded that only the duly elected Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) local government officials be recognised and funded by the federal government.
The groups noted that the PDP Chairmen and Councillors were lawfully elected on 22 February 2025 by the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSSIEC), in line with the Electoral Act 2022.
Despite this, APC functionaries allegedly continue to occupy council offices across the state, in open defiance of existing court rulings.
Speaking during the protest, Ambassador Usman Saidu Calculus of NSDGG described the situation as a “direct threat to democracy” and called for urgent action from the Attorney General.
“This blatant disregard for court judgments undermines the will of the people and damages the integrity of our democratic institutions,” he said.
Calculus also warned that continued funding of these “illegal occupiers” is a gross misuse of public resources and risks setting a dangerous precedent in grassroots governance.
Echoing similar concerns, Comrade Collins Idowu, chairman of CCSJE, highlighted the constitutional implications of the standoff.
He emphasised that the crisis was not just political but a clear breach of both the Nigerian Constitution and the Electoral Act.
“Public funds should be directed only to those with a valid electoral mandate,” Idowu stated, urging the Finance Ministry to act responsibly.
The groups demanded joint enforcement of court judgments by the Ministries of Justice and Finance, stressing the need for accountability and democratic integrity.
They warned that failure to act could further erode public trust in Nigeria’s electoral and judicial systems.
As of the time of filing this report, no official response has been received from the Office of the Attorney General or the Ministry of Finance.
