Governor of Osun State, Nurudeen Adeleke, has condemned the continued occupation of local government secretariats by chairmen and councillors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), describing their self-awarded tenure extension as illegal and unconstitutional.
In a post shared on X on Monday by the governor’s spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, Adeleke stated that the tenure of elected officials in Nigeria cannot be extended beyond the period prescribed by law, stressing that such actions have no constitutional backing.
“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,” the governor said.
Adeleke noted that several judicial authorities, including decisions of the Supreme Court, have clearly established that tenure elongation is unlawful under Nigeria’s constitutional framework.
He specifically referenced the Supreme Court ruling in the case involving former Oyo State Governor, Rashidi Ladoja, where the apex court held that a governor’s tenure could not be extended even after he was unlawfully removed from office for 11 months.
According to the governor, the judgment underscored the principle that the constitutionally fixed tenure of elected officials remains sacrosanct and cannot be altered by administrative or political actions.
Adeleke warned that any continued occupation of local government secretariats by officials whose tenure had expired amounted to a breach of the rule of law and a direct affront to constitutional democracy.
He called on relevant authorities to uphold the law and ensure that due process is followed in the administration of local governments in the state, stressing that peace and democratic order must not be undermined by unlawful acts.
The governor reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to constitutional governance and respect for court rulings, adding that no individual or group is above the law.
