A coalition of civil society organisation, The Osun Masterminds, TOM, has bemoaned the behaviour among political parties which has continued to cripple local government administration in the state.
The group also lamented that it was worried by the ongoing impasse that has crippled the local governments and also showing potentials of crippling the finances of the entire state.
TOM Executive Director, Prof Wasiu Oyedokun-Alli, while conveying the thoughts of the group during its May State of the State address on Saturday in Osogbo, condemned the continued inactivity in the local governments and called on all stakeholders to immediately act responsibly.
The group also accused the state government of acting without minding the fact that the impasse paints Osun in bad light among the comity of states.
While urging all parties involved to put aside attempts at supremacy, TOM called for a resolution of the impasse for the collective good putting in mind that the arm of government brings development close to the people.
He said, “We regret to continue seeing needless brickbats between the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the State. We do not live in a banana republic, and such critical issues of governance cannot be resolved with press releases. No matter the sentiments that both parties beat up on the issue, the fact remains that the Local Governments are crippled and this is against the principles of democracy.”;
“While not trying to sound like a broken record with our unending address of this issue, we again bemoan the irresponsible behaviour across board and political parties which continues to cripple local government administration in the state.
“The Local Governments take development close to the people and where this critical arm of government becomes dysfunctional, the people suffer direct consequences.
“This is why we have been deeply bothered by the ongoing impasse that has crippled the Local Government and is showing potentials of crippling the finances of the entire State, considering that Internally Generated Revenue from across the Local Governments form an important part of the State’s income.
“The Osun State Government continues to act with intention of political correctness not minding the fact that the ongoing impasse do not only portray Osun State in bad light among the committee of states, but also impacts majorly on the finances of the state Though it seems insignificant because the state earns big from the federation account. We again call that politics and attempt at supremacy be set aside by resolving the crisis at the local governments for our collective good.”;
Oyedokun-Alli asked the local government workers to resume at their duty posts and carry out their lawful duties as continuing to stay away from work under the claim of insecurity while collecting salaries for work not done is utterly irresponsible.
“While we recognize that the state government is fulfilling her obligations by paying the salary of local government workers in the last few months, it becomes utterly irresponsible of the local government workers to continue to hide under the claim of insecurity while earning salaries for work undone.
“We expect the local government workers to resume at their duty post and carry out their lawful duties for which their wages is being paid,”; he concluded.
DAILY POST recalled that in the lead up to the February 22, 2025 local government election in Osun State, the All Progressives Congress, APC, had claimed that a judgment of the Akure Division of the Appeal Court was in its favour.
The party said the judgment clearly restated the winners of the local government election held on October 15, 2022 which did not go down well the the Osun State Government, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission, OSSIEC.
A directive by the Osun APC for the winners of the council poll to immediately resume work at the different local government secretariats across the state led to protest which became violent in some towns leading to the killing of Remi Abass, an APC chieftain.
OSSIEC however went ahead with the council poll which was won by PDP candidates, who were duly sworn-in.
However, the state governor, Ademola Adeleke directed that the newly sworn-in local government council officials should not resume work in order to avert violence.
