By Boluwatife Adedokun
Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mike Ozekhome, has faulted the Federal Government for withholding local government allocations meant for Osun State, describing the action as unconstitutional and politically motivated.
Ozekhome said the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), should provide the presidency with proper legal advice to avert further crisis.
“It is highly political. The Attorney-General wrote a letter on March 21 to the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy to release local government funds to APC officials who had already been sacked and not reinstated by any court,” he stated.
He reminded President Bola Tinubu of his legal battles as Lagos governor when the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo withheld the state’s local government funds.
“The Supreme Court held that the Federal Government could not withhold funds meant for Lagos local governments. While the additional 47 councils created by the state were denied allocations, funds for the 20 constitutionally recognised councils had to be released,” he said.
According to Ozekhome, the same principle should apply in Osun, where elected councillors and chairmen assumed office after the February 22, 2025, local government elections and a June 13 Court of Appeal judgment affirming their legitimacy.
He argued that if the AGF had given proper advice, Tinubu would not have withheld the funds. “If he gave the advice and the president ignored it, then he ought to resign,” Ozekhome added.
Citing precedent, he recalled how former AGF Mohammed Adoke advised President Goodluck Jonathan that he could declare a state of emergency in Plateau but had no constitutional powers to remove Governor Joshua Dariye — advice which Jonathan respected.
The Osun State Government has repeatedly accused the Federal Government of illegally seizing its allocations, while the AGF insists the state failed to provide proper account details and must refund past funds.
