Osun State will be restricting vehicular movement from 5am to 5pm today Saturday for the local government election.
Also, an Osun State High Court in Osogbo ordered the State Independent Electoral Commission (OSIEC) to proceed with the local government election set for Saturday.
Justice A. Aderigbigbe issued the ruling on Friday, February 21, in response to an enrollment order filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) against OSIEC and its Chairman, Hashim Abioye. The court affirmed that vacancies exist in all 30 local government areas of the state, as previously determined by a Federal High Court judgment.
The court ruled that the election conducted by OSIEC on October 15, 2022, was invalid, null, and void. It further noted that officials elected in the process had been removed by the Federal High Court ruling in case FHC/CS/OS/103/2022, Action Peoples Party (APP) vs. Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) & Ors, delivered on November 30, 2022. This decision was upheld by the Court of Appeal in case CA/AK/226M/2024, Allied People Movement (APM) & Ors vs. Action Peoples Party (APP) & Ors, on January 13, 2025.
Citing these rulings, the court upheld the PDP’s request for fresh elections and ordered OSIEC to proceed with the polls. It also directed security agencies, including the Nigeria Police, the Nigerian Army, the Department of State Security Services (DSS), the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC), the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), the Amotekun Corps, and local vigilante groups, to ensure security during and after the election.
Governor Ademola Adeleke made the announcement via a statement by his spokesman, Olawale Rasheed, in Osogbo on Friday.
The statement said: “Governor Ademola Adeleke has ordered restriction of vehicular movement from 5 am to 5 pm on Saturday 22nd February 2022 across Osun state.
“The directive of the State Governor was sequel to the statewide local government elections that are scheduled to be held tomorrow across the state.
“Governor Adeleke who reiterated his commitment to peace and security said the movement restriction is necessary to prevent importation of hoodlums into the state amidst local elections.
“He therefore directed security agencies to enforce the restriction and only allow voters and accredited media and civil society organisations for the continued peace and security of Osun State.”
