The Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has challenged claims made by Governor Ademola Adeleke in a recent statewide broadcast.
The Osun APC insisted that the narrative surrounding local government administration and federal allocations was inaccurate.
In a statement issued on Monday, the opposition party said the governor’s address, which alleged that federal allocations to local government councils had been withheld since February 2025, misrepresented the actual situation on the ground.
The APC recalled that Governor Adeleke, during the broadcast, accused the Federal Government, the Nigeria Police Force, and the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola, of complicity in what he described as the illegal occupation of local council secretariats.
According to the party, the broadcast failed to acknowledge that the Court of Appeal, in its judgment delivered on February 10, 2025, reinstated APC chairmen and councillors who were previously removed from office. The party maintained that the judgment remains binding.
“The reinstated council executives are occupying their offices based on a subsisting Court of Appeal judgment. There was no public record indicating that the ruling had been set aside,” the statement said.
The party disputed the governor’s assertion that the reinstated officials were seeking an extension of their tenure, clarifying that the matter before the Federal High Court in Osogbo relates to the interpretation of the statutory three-year tenure.
It stated that the suit also seeks a judicial determination on the legality of conducting fresh local government elections while the tenure of the reinstated officials is still in force.
On the issue of allocations, the APC argued that the Federal Government had not withheld funds, but that multiple court cases instituted by the state government were responsible for delays in releasing allocations to the councils.
“There are several ongoing litigations, including suits against commercial banks, aimed at preventing the release of allocations to the reinstated chairmen and councillors,” the statement said.
The party added that the Supreme Court judgment granting autonomy to local governments limited the role of state governments in council administration and financial matters.
The APC also expressed concern that the governor’s broadcast did not reference the killing of Remi Abass, the reinstated chairman of Irewole Local Government Council Area, describing the incident as a significant event in the state’s recent local government history.
In the statement, the party urged the governor to withdraw court cases affecting council finances, stating that doing so would ease administrative challenges at the grassroots level.
“The seamless release of local government allocations, as directed by the Supreme Court, will enable council administrations to function effectively for the benefit of residents,” the APC said.
DAILY POST had earlier reported that Governor Adeleke, in a statewide broadcast on Monday, demanded the immediate release of over ₦130 billion in statutory allocations allegedly withheld from the state’s local governments.
He also warned that the continued blockade is crippling grassroots governance and inflicting hardship on workers and residents.
Local governments across Osun State have been left without access to statutory funds amid an ongoing dispute over control of council secretariats, prompting calls for urgent federal intervention.
Eze Chidiebere Paul
I'm dedicated to creating high-quality content that informs, inspires, and delights. If you have any questions or suggestions, don't hesitate to get in touch. Happy reading!
