PDP sweeps Osun LGAs election, wins all 30 chairmanship, councillorship seats

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) secured a clean sweep by winning every chairmanship and councillorship seat across all 30 local government areas in Osun State, according to OSSIEC Chairman Hashim Abioye, who made the announcement at a press conference on Saturday.

Despite security warnings from the Nigeria Police Force and the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSSIEC) proceeded with the local government elections on February 22.

The decision was based on a directive from the Osun State High Court in Ilesa, which ordered the electoral body to fill vacant positions in all 30 LGAs.

Voting commenced at 8 AM in all local councils, including Ede North LGA, where Governor Ademola Adeleke cast his vote. After the elections, Adeleke described the process as peaceful and urged Osun residents to maintain calm, stating, “The process has been very peaceful. I made a broadcast to my good people of Osun State that this election should be peaceful. There should be no violence because Osun State is a very peaceful state.”

Earlier, OSSIEC Chairman Segun Abioye accused the police of sealing the commission’s headquarters in Osogbo and arresting some personnel, forcing the electoral body to relocate its operations to an undisclosed site. The Nigeria Police Force had issued a security advisory on Friday, citing credible intelligence of potential violence.

Meanwhile, Attorney General Lateef Fagbemi had recommended that Governor Adeleke suspend the elections, arguing that a February 10 ruling by the Court of Appeal (Akure Division) nullified the previous judgment that removed APC-elected local council chairmen—effectively reinstating them and rendering the new elections legally contentious.

This electoral exercise took place amid escalating tensions following violent clashes between APC and PDP supporters, which have resulted in at least six deaths since Monday. Governor Adeleke had previously accused APC members, allegedly backed by security agencies, of attempting to seize control of local council secretariats, and he called on President Bola Tinubu to intervene and caution Minister Gboyega Oyetola, though no decisive action was taken.