OSOGBO, Nigeria — Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State has called on the federal government to immediately release the state’s local government allocations, insisting that there is “no legal basis” for their continued seizure.
The row over Osun’s local government funds stems from the controversial council elections held on Saturday, February 22, 2025.
The polls, conducted by the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSSIEC), were boycotted by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Labour Party (LP) following legal tussles over the status of previously elected APC chairmen.
Earlier, Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, had advised Adeleke to halt the elections, arguing that the sacked APC chairmen should be reinstated in line with a Court of Appeal ruling.
The APC later petitioned the federal government, urging it to block Osun’s LG allocations, insisting the elections were unlawful.
In a statement posted on X, Governor Adeleke defended the legitimacy of the OSSIEC polls, stressing that the PDP-elected chairmen and councillors are the rightful authorities in Osun’s local governments.
“The February 22, 2025, LG elections conducted by OSSIEC were valid and lawful. The PDP-elected chairmen and councillors are the rightful occupants and authority of Osun local government councils. There is no legal basis for the continued seizure of Osun State local government funds,” he wrote.
He also commended the Osun Council of Obas, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), and “other lovers of justice” for backing the demand for the release of the allocations.
Adeleke added that the NBA’s position reinforced his claim that the APC chairmen were removed by a court ruling, not by executive action.
Appealing directly to President Bola Tinubu, Adeleke urged that the funds be released “without delay” to the duly elected PDP council chairmen.
“I call on the Federal Government and the President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to release our local government allocations without delay,” he said.
The governor reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to the rule of law and due process, insisting that the rights of Osun people must be respected.
