The Osun state chapter of the All Progressives Congress, (APC) has opposed moves by the state chapter of the National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), to discontinue a case instituted against the party and the chairmen elected in the October 15, 2022 local government polls in the state.
NULGE had informed the state High Court sitting in Ilesa of its decision to discontinue a case. The notice of withdrawal, dated June 25, 2025, and signed by the counsel for the claimant, Musbau Adetunbi (SAN), had also been served on the counsel to APC, Fatima Raji, on Tuesday.
In the notice of discontinuance, a copy of which was seen by NewsClick Nigeria on Tuesday, the claimant said it withdrew the case due to the verdict of the Court of Appeal of June 13, 2025, noting that the “Ruling in Appeal No.: CA/AK/15/2025 effectually answering the substantial issues raised for determination raised in this suit.
“It will better satisfy the interest of justice for this suit to be discontinued/withdrawn.”
There has been ongoing political and legal dispute over the control, legality, and dissolution of local government councils in Osun State, involving the PDP–led state government and the opposition APC.
The crisis has affected the smooth running of the councils, with allocations reportedly seized since February by the Federal Government.
The state chapter of NULGE also took the matter to court, as civil servants had refused to come to work since the crisis which took place after the takeover of the councils by the APC-chairmen.
In the suit, NULGE challenged the occupation of local government secretariats by the APC chairmen, saying the development constituted a threat to the entire workforce under its umbrella.
When the matter came up before Justice M. Agboola and the application for discontinuance was moved by the claimant’s counsel, S. Ayeni, on Tuesday, the APC counsel, Muhydeen Adeoye, opposed it.
While NULGE counsel held that it was within the right of his client to discontinue the matter at any stage, if the need for such arises, the APC counsel, in his response, however, insisted that withdrawal of the matter must not be based on any previous court decisions not related to the matter being heard.
Adeoye urged the court to dismiss the withdrawal application.
In his ruling, Justice Agboola directed the respondent to file a response to the withdrawal application and subsequently adjourned the matter to November 25, 2025.
