An Oyo State High Court in Ibadan on Thursday rejected an application submitted by the dismissed All Progressives Congress, or APC, local government chairmen in Osun State, in which they sought access to frozen council funds held in the United Bank for Africa. This application, filed under Suit No. I/1149/2025, which names the Attorney General of Osun State and another party versus UBA PLC, requested the court’s permission to challenge and reverse an ex parte order issued on September 26, 2025, which had initially frozen the disputed accounts. The former chairmen, who were referred to as “Persons Affected,” argued that the freezing order was hindering governance across the local council areas and, if sustained, would constitute a violation of the 1999 Constitution.
During the proceedings on Thursday, neither the applicants nor the principal parties in the case were present in the courtroom. Musibau Adetunbi, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, appeared alongside E.Y. Ajayi and D.G. Egunjobi, representing the Osun State Attorney General, while Oluwatomiwa Fadeyi represented UBA. Justice Ladiran Akintola delivered the ruling, stating that the application lacked merit. He characterized the removed chairmen as “strangers to the suit” since they had previously withdrawn their earlier request to be formally added to the case. The court maintained that the applicants had no legally recognized claim to the frozen funds and therefore lacked the legal right, or locus standi, to request the discharge of the ex parte order or the striking out of the entire suit. Justice Akintola further observed that by withdrawing their motion for joinder, they had acknowledged having no legal entitlement to the funds. Consequently, he dismissed the application in its entirety.
In response to the ruling, the APC, in a statement signed by its Osun State Chairman, Tajudeen Lawal, claimed that the judgment had been misrepresented by political rivals. The party described the claims that the ruling affirmed the results of the February 22, 2025 local government election as cheap propaganda. The statement asserted that no relief was granted that directed members of the Accord Party or PDP to present themselves as the duly elected officers of the local government councils. The APC clarified that the court merely determined that the objectors were not parties to the lawsuit and, on that basis, struck out their application, postponing the main matter to December 18, 2025. The APC also made reference to existing petitions filed before the National Judicial Council and the Chief Judge of Oyo State that challenge Justice Akintola’s handling of the case. The party insisted that the reinstated APC chairmen and councillors remain the lawful heads of the councils and will continue executing their constitutional duties. The party urged the public to ignore what it termed attempts to manipulate the judicial process for political gain, cautioning members to be wary of deceit, lies, and misinformation used as political tools. The substantive case is set to continue on December 18 when the court reconvenes for mention.
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