***Says, he Lacks Power to Halt LG Elections
A civil society organization, the Osun Democrats for Democracy (ODD), has strongly criticized the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Lateef Fagbemi, for allegedly overstepping his constitutional boundaries in the ongoing Osun Local Government crisis.
The group asserted that Fagbemi, as a legal officer, is neither a court of law nor empowered to halt elections or interpret judicial rulings.
In a statement signed by its Legal Adviser, Adewale Fowora, and made available to journalists on Thursday, the group accused Fagbemi of bias and conflict of interest, citing his past role as legal counsel to former Osun State Governor Gboyega Oyetola, now Minister of Marine and Blue Economy.
ODD expressed shock that a supposed Chief Law Officer of the Federation would intervene in a politically sensitive matter in which he has a personal stake.
“The AGF should have recused himself from this matter. He is not a neutral arbiter and lacks the authority to stop an election or interpret court judgments. Only a court of law has the power to halt an election, clarify its rulings, or enforce its decisions.”
The group further argued that disputes over judicial rulings should be resolved by the courts, not by executive fiat.
“When there is disagreement over a judgment, the proper legal process is for the affected parties to seek interpretation from the issuing court. The AGF has no constitutional mandate to usurp the role of the judiciary or encourage self-help tactics,” the statement added.
ODD also criticized Fagbemi for ignoring a crucial court ruling by the APP, which had previously nullified the candidacies of APC council aspirants.
According to the group, the Akure appeal ruling did not overturn the subsisting APP judgment, making the AGF’s intervention selective and politically motivated.
“Why did the AGF fail to acknowledge the APP judgment? The ruling at Akure did not vacate the APP decision, which remains binding. His statements reflect a clear bias in favor of the APC candidates.”
The group further questioned the sources of information used by Fagbemi, accusing him of misrepresenting legal facts and promoting self-help measures that undermine the rule of law.
“Who provided the AGF with his flawed legal analysis? Why did he not seek clarification from the original courts? A whole Attorney General should not be seen supporting unlawful actions by political actors.”
Despite the controversy, ODD urged the Osun State government to proceed with the local government election scheduled for Saturday, dismissing Fagbemi’s statement as a political move with no legal standing.
“The AGF is not a court and cannot assume judicial powers. His interference is politically motivated and should be disregarded. The election must proceed as planned.”
The Osun LG election crisis has continued to generate heated debate, with stakeholders divided over the legal and political implications of recent court rulings. However, the ODD insists that only the courts, not the AGF, can determine the legality of the election process.
