The Osun State chapter of the Accord Party has warned sacked local government chairmen against returning to council secretariats across the state, insisting that the duly elected chairmen inaugurated by Governor Ademola Adeleke remain the legitimate occupants of the offices.
The party also commended residents of the state for what it described as a massive turnout at the official flag-off of Governor Adeleke's re-election campaign held in Osogbo on Tuesday.
In a statement issued on Wednesday by the Osun Accord Chairman, Pastor Victor Babalola Akande, the party welcomed the recent Federal High Court judgment which dismissed the claims and prayers of the chairmen it referred to as "Yes/No chairmen."
According to the party, the claimants had sought a court order to invalidate the 2025 local government election, nullify the oath of office administered on the elected chairmen inaugurated in February 2025, recognize their own election, and compel security agencies to continue providing protection for them.
Accord stated that the court rejected all the reliefs sought and held that the claimants lacked the legal standing to institute the suit.
"The court refused all their prayers and asserted that they had no legal foundation to file the case in the first place," the statement said.
The party consequently urged the affected individuals to stay away from local government secretariats, while calling on security agencies to ensure a smooth resumption for the elected council chairmen.
"We hereby warn the sacked chairmen to stay away from the council secretariats. We also repeat our governor's directive to the Commissioner of Police to stop protecting illegal occupation of the council secretariats. The duly elected council chairmen are now fully in charge," the statement added.
Accord also praised the Osun State chapters of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) for directing their members to oversee council secretariats and administrative offices pending the full resumption of elected chairmen.
The party described the directive as appropriate and consistent with prevailing realities in the state's local government administration.
It further called on the United Bank for Africa (UBA) to regularize local government account operations by recognizing legally authorized signatories.
"The bank should use this opportunity to redeem its image by correcting the error in the opening of accounts for the local governments and allow signatories prescribed by law to operate the accounts," the statement noted.
On the political front, Accord described the turnout at Governor Adeleke's re-election campaign flag-off as unprecedented, claiming that the event witnessed the defection of thousands of supporters from opposition parties, including the APC and ADC.
The party said the development demonstrated growing support for the governor's administration and strengthened confidence in his re-election bid.
Responding to criticisms from the All Progressives Congress (APC), which reportedly described the rally as poorly attended, Accord dismissed the claim as detached from reality.
According to the party, roads leading to the venue were filled with supporters, while the campaign ground and adjoining areas witnessed large crowds.
The party maintained that the event was peaceful and orderly, unlike what it alleged were recent incidents of violence associated with opposition activities.
Accord further argued that the rally marked the beginning of what it termed "Imole 2.0," expressing confidence that voters across the state had embraced the continuation of Governor Adeleke's administration.
The party concluded by urging the APC to stop what it called the spread of false narratives and accept the political realities in the state ahead of the 2026 governorship election.
Pastor Akande maintained that the momentum behind Governor Adeleke's re-election campaign continues to grow daily, insisting that the people of Osun remain firmly behind the governor and the Accord Party.
