Osun APC Blasts Assembly Over ‘Unconstitutional’ Grab for Local Government Funds

On Tuesday, the Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) criticised the state House of Assembly, under the leadership of the Right Honourable Adewale Olumide Egbedun, for allegedly exceeding its constitutional mandate in the ongoing dispute over local government allocations.

The statement was made available to Patriotic Insights News by Mogaji Kola Olabisi, Director of Media and Information, Osun State APC.

The APC described the Assembly’s letters to the United Bank for Africa (UBA) concerning the payment of local government funds as “a bunch of rubbish” and claimed the lawmakers were acting beyond the scope of the law.

“Our concern, as a forward-looking party grounded in the rule of law, is that the current lawmakers have failed to fully grasp the legislative process despite over three years of service in the hallowed chambers,” the party said. “This has, regrettably, resulted in a corporate embarrassment for the people of Osun State.”

The party emphasised that the Constitution empowers states to enact laws, not to issue resolutions or letters concerning local government finances. According to the APC, local governments operate as autonomous entities and are not subject to the financial supervision of the State Assembly.

“The biased stooges of Governor Adeleke masquerading as lawmakers should understand that local governments are independent governments. The only body that falls within the constitutional definition of an ‘organization’ is the Local Government Service Commission,” the statement added.

Citing the Supreme Court’s autonomy judgment, the APC stressed that the ruling guarantees the financial freedom of local governments, which should be respected by the State Assembly.

The party called on the lawmakers to retract the letters and resolutions, warning that failure to do so would attract “avoidable collective corporate shame” on the Assembly and the people of Osun State.