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By Newspot Nigeria Editorial Board
With the release of the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the June 13, 2025 Court of Appeal judgment, the legal status of the 2022 local government elections in Osun State has now been put to rest. The CTC reaffirms what legal analysts and observers have maintained for months: the attempt to revive APC’s abandoned appeal has been dismissed completely, and the February 2025 local government elections remain the lawful democratic benchmark.
Rather than altering the narrative, the CTC only strengthens the legal clarity surrounding the matter—and highlights how the court process was, in fact, never in doubt.
What the Judgment Confirms
Delivered by Justice Oyebisi Folayemi Omoleye, the Court of Appeal’s ruling made three things clear:
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The application to relist APC’s dismissed appeal was procedurally defective.
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The case was factually unsupported.
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And with the fresh local government elections and swearing-in of new officials in February 2025, the entire matter had become legally irrelevant.
“Relisting the appeal at this stage would serve no practical purpose… The matter is, in every material sense, a fait accompli.”
In short, the Court found that nothing remained to be contested. The law had already moved on.
⚖️ How We Got Here
To understand why the CTC matters, we must recall the full timeline:
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October 15, 2022: Local government elections were conducted with only 60 days’ notice—far short of the 360 days required by the Electoral Act, 2022.
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November 30, 2022: The Federal High Court, in a suit brought by the Action Peoples Party (APP), nullified those elections and ordered all beneficiaries to vacate office.
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January 13, 2025: APC’s appeal was dismissed by the Court of Appeal due to lack of prosecution.
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February 22, 2025: Osun conducted fresh local government elections and new officials were sworn in.
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June 13, 2025: APC’s request to relist the previously dismissed appeal was also dismissed—and now the CTC of that ruling confirms it in full detail.
A Moment of Legal Reckoning
Throughout this period, the public was led to believe—often by legal advisers and political figures—that the case was still “pending” and that the CTC would offer a dramatic reversal of outcomes.
Instead, the CTC confirms the opposite. It verifies that there is no remaining legal controversy, and the 2022 elections remain nullified. Most importantly, it reinforces that legal advice given to the public in recent months was not only speculative—it was deeply misleading.
While it is understandable for lawyers to be optimistic in advocacy, there’s a line between hopeful interpretation and professional misrepresentation. Telling clients or the public that a dismissed appeal could be revived—after new elections have been conducted—raises serious concerns about the standard of legal guidance being offered.
Moving Forward
The CTC makes one thing abundantly clear: the law has settled the matter. The only recognized local government officials in Osun State are those elected in February 2025. The Court of Appeal has closed the door on further dispute.
This is a moment for reflection—not just politically, but professionally. For the credibility of the legal profession, the public deserves advocacy grounded in facts, not speculation.
QUICK READ: Why the June 13 CTC Was Never Going to Change the Legal Outcome
As soon as the June 13, 2025 Court of Appeal judgment was delivered, some voices began pointing to the pending Certified True Copy (CTC) as if it would somehow shift the legal balance in favor of APC’s 2022 chairmen.
Here’s why that claim didn’t hold water—and what the CTC actually confirmed once released:
1. The CTC Was New—But the Legal Facts Weren’t
The judgment itself was just delivered in June, but the legal groundwork was already settled:
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The 2022 LG elections were nullified in Nov 2022,
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The appeal was dismissed in Jan 2025,
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And fresh elections held in Feb 2025.
There was nothing left to relitigate.
2. A Tactic to Delay and Distract
Referencing the “upcoming CTC” became a strategy to extend the political debate, keep supporters hopeful, and sustain a sense of unresolved legal tension—even though the case was, in effect, over.
3. Used as a Placeholder for Authority
In the absence of a valid appeal, the promise of a forthcoming CTC served as a placeholder argument—not because it would change anything, but because it gave room to claim “the final word” hadn’t yet been spoken.
4. What the CTC Actually Did
When the CTC was finally released, it:
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Dismissed APC’s relisting request, fully and clearly,
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Stated that no live controversy remained,
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Recognized the February 2025 elections as legitimate, and
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Confirmed that the law had long moved on.
Bottom Line:
The CTC didn’t reset the legal reality—it reinforced it.
The matter is closed. The court was never confused.
The public should never have been.
