Adeleke criticises APC councillors’ illegal tenure extension

Osun State Governor, Nurudeen Adeleke, has criticised the continued occupation of local government secretariats by All Progressives Congress chairmen and councillors, describing their self-imposed tenure extension as unlawful and unconstitutional.

In a statement shared by his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, on X on Monday, Adeleke said the tenure of elected officials in Nigeria cannot go beyond the period prescribed by law, citing decisions of the Supreme Court.

“It is a settled matter of law, that the tenure of elected officials in Nigeria cannot be extended for a single day after the expiration of their tenure,” he said.

The governor referred to the Supreme Court judgment in the case involving former Oyo State Governor, Ladoja, where the court ruled that a governor’s tenure cannot be prolonged, even after being illegally removed from office for 11 months.

Adeleke pointed out that court records, including filings at the Supreme Court, show that the APC chairmen and councillors, through their legal representatives and the Attorney-General of the Federation, acknowledged that they had no right to remain in office beyond October 22, 2025.

To underscore his argument, the governor said the APC officials had approached the Federal High Court to seek an extension of their already expired tenure.

He said this action amounted to an admission that their time in office had elapsed.

“Assuming, without conceding, that the APC chairmen and councillors had any tenure, the tenure expired on October 22, 2025.

“I sometimes wonder if we are really under a democratic system of government.

“In Osun State, it seems that the APC chairmen and councillors, whose so-called tenure have expired, are above the law,” he said.

The governor disclosed that he has written to the leadership of relevant federal security agencies concerning actions he said pose a threat to peace and public order in Osun State.

He also called on Nigerians and supporters of democracy to join in demanding an immediate end to what he described as the siege of local governments.

“I therefore call on Nigerians and all those who sacrificed so much for our democracy, to join us in demanding an immediate end to the siege on our local governments,” he said.