A judge in Osun State has stepped down from a court case filed by the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) against the reinstated local government chairmen from the All Progressives Congress (APC). The suit was aimed at stopping the APC council officials from returning to their local government offices.
The matter was being handled by Justice Isiaka Adeleke before he decided to withdraw. He said he could no longer continue with the case due to allegations raised by some APC leaders. According to him, these accusations could affect public trust in whatever judgment he might deliver.
The APC Chairman in Osun, Tajudeen Lawal, had earlier sent a petition to the state’s Chief Judge, accusing Justice Adeleke of planning to give judgment in favour of NULGE without fairly hearing from all parties. In addition, another APC member, Sunday Akere, held a press conference on April 6 where he accused the court of being part of a plot to create unrest in the state.
Justice Adeleke stated that these public statements have already swayed people’s minds and could make it seem like his judgment was unfair, regardless of the outcome. He added that it is important for the public to have trust in the court, and because of the way the issue has been presented to the public, he believes stepping away is the right decision.
He concluded that due to these developments, he has returned the case file to the Chief Judge of Osun State for it to be assigned to another judge.
NULGE had taken the case to court on March 3, 2025. They asked for an order to prevent the reinstated APC council chairmen and councillors from interfering in the affairs of local governments across the state. These chairmen had returned to office based on a Court of Appeal decision delivered in February 2025, and have since been running the councils in their areas.
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