The Osun State High Court in Ilesa has ordered the State Independent Electoral Commission (OSSIEC) to proceed with local government elections across the state on Saturday, despite opposition from the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF).
Delivering the ruling on Friday, Justice A. Aderigbigbe declared that there were vacancies in all 30 local government areas and area offices in the state, as previously established by a Federal High Court judgment.
The order followed a suit filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), one of the political parties contesting in the election.
The court further directed security agencies, including the Nigeria Police, Department of State Security Services (DSS), Nigerian Army, and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), to ensure adequate security during and after the election.
However, the ruling comes amid warnings from AGF and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, who declared the election unconstitutional.
In a statement on Thursday, Fagbemi argued that the election should not proceed, citing a recent Court of Appeal ruling that reinstated previously sacked local government officials in the state.
Despite the legal controversy, Governor Ademola Adeleke, in a statewide broadcast on Thursday, urged registered voters to turn out and participate in the election as scheduled.
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