Pressure is mounting on the Federal Government to release statutory allocations to Osun State’s local governments, following a protracted legal battle over the legitimacy of council leadership in the state.
Since February 2025, Osun’s local governments have been denied access to their monthly allocations, after a Court of Appeal ruling dismissed the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) suit challenging the October 2022 local government elections conducted under former Governor Gboyega Oyetola. The All Progressives Congress (APC) interpreted the judgment as reinstating its sacked chairmen and councillors, sparking a violent attempt to reclaim council offices.
However, subsequent court rulings, including a June 13, 2025 verdict by Justice Peter Obiorah, dismissed the APC’s attempt to relist its abandoned appeal in a related case, affirming that the party’s delay was a “self-inflicted injury.” The court emphasized that the Federal High Court’s 2022 nullification of the APC-led councils remains binding, especially as fresh elections were conducted in February 2025 under the current administration of Governor Ademola Adeleke.
Despite the clear judicial pronouncements, the Attorney General of the Federation, Chief Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), has maintained that the February 10, 2025 Appeal Court judgment reinstated the deposed APC officials, instructing the release of local government funds to them. A controversial directive from the Office of the Accountant General, dated June 10, 2025, instructed local government chairmen and officials to open new accounts with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), bypassing statutory financial procedures.
The Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), through its President General, Comrade Aliyu Haruna Kankara, has condemned the directive, accusing the CBN and AGF of violating the Supreme Court’s 2024 ruling on local government financial autonomy. NULGE reminded federal authorities that only designated career officers, not politicians, are legally authorized to manage government accounts.
Kankara urged President Bola Tinubu to intervene, warning that the Federal Government’s selective compliance with court judgments—quickly enforcing a Supreme Court decision in Rivers State while disregarding similar rulings in Osun—undermines the rule of law and risks deepening political instability.
Legal experts and civil society groups have also criticized the Federal Government’s stance, warning that its defiance of court orders could erode public trust in judicial authority and Nigeria’s federal structure.
Observers have cautioned that the Federal Government’s actions may set a dangerous precedent of undermining subnational governance through federal might, urging a swift resolution in line with judicial rulings.
As tensions continue, stakeholders are calling on the Federal Government to immediately release Osun’s local government funds through the appropriate legal channels, ensuring that local workers receive their salaries and grassroots governance is restored.
