Court Sets September 22 for Osun LG Funds Hearing

Court Sets September 22 for Osun LG Funds Hearing

 

 

The Federal High Court in Abuja has scheduled September 22 for the hearing of applications in a suit by the Osun State Government against the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Accountant-General of the Federation over alleged attempts to divert local government funds.

 

The case arises from the removal of chairmen elected in October 2022 under the All Progressives Congress (APC). The PDP-led Osun Government maintains that the chairmen were lawfully removed following court rulings.

 

At Monday’s proceedings, vacation judge Justice Emeka Nwite adjourned the matter after hearing submissions from both sides. The state government also challenged the transfer of the suit from the Osogbo division to Abuja, arguing the latter lacks jurisdiction.

 

Osun is seeking to restrain the CBN and Accountant-General from opening accounts for the sacked APC chairmen or disbursing local government allocations to them. The state has also discontinued its case against the Attorney-General of the Federation, planning to challenge his role in a fresh suit at the Supreme Court.

 

Counsel to the CBN and Accountant-General opposed the applications, urging the court to hear the matter during the vacation to prevent it from becoming academic.

 

The dispute is part of a broader political clash in Osun over control of local councils and access to federal allocations, a key source of funding for grassroots governance.