The Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Adedamola Adebayo, have issued sharply different interpretations of the Supreme Court’s decision regarding the state’s withheld local government allocations.
Both sides claimed victory in separate statements released on Saturday in Osogbo.
APC chairman, Tajudeen Lawal, said the party welcomed the ruling, describing it as a reaffirmation of the July 2024 judgement that granted financial autonomy to local government councils. He said the verdict once again invalidated the actions of what the party called “illegally elected” PDP council officials.
However, the APC criticised the Osun State House of Assembly for swiftly passing the 2025 Local Government Accounts Administration Bill shortly after the ruling, calling the move unconstitutional and a deliberate attempt to undermine the Supreme Court’s decision.
According to the party, the bill was designed to weaken the authority of APC-backed council chairmen and councillors reinstated under the earlier judgement. It urged the public to hold lawmakers accountable and warned the Assembly against steps it said were meant to mislead residents. The party also accused some individuals of impersonating members of ALGON.
In contrast, PDP governorship candidate Adedamola Adebayo—who recently secured 919 votes in the party’s primary—also hailed the Supreme Court ruling but argued that it cleared the way for PDP-elected chairmen to take office. In a statement, he urged PDP supporters to celebrate peacefully and maintain the decorum the party had shown throughout the court proceedings.
Adebayo said the verdict validated the PDP’s long-held stance and pledged to use lawful means to ensure PDP-elected council officials assume their roles without interference. He commended party members for their discipline and urged them to remain committed as the 2026 election approaches.
The Supreme Court had on Friday dismissed a suit filed by the Osun State Government seeking to compel the Federal Government to release withheld local government funds. A seven-member panel ruled 6–1 that the case lacked merit. Following the decision, both PDP and APC-aligned ALGON factions publicly claimed the ruling favoured their positions.
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