Osun LG funds: Adeleke accuses Oyetola of hiding behind federal might, flouting rule of law

 

The Osun State Government has faulted the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Mr. Adegboyega Oyetola, over what it described as the illegal withholding of local government funds and the ongoing siege on council secretariats across the state.

In a strongly worded statement issued on Wednesday, the state government accused the minister of making “intemperate, misleading and inflammatory” remarks aimed at justifying what it called blatant lawlessness and political interference by federal actors.

Reacting through the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Mr. Kolapo Alimi, the government insisted that the crisis rocking local councils in the state did not stem from propaganda, incompetence or disobedience to court orders by Governor Ademola Adeleke.

According to the statement, the situation arose from attempts by “unelected individuals, allegedly backed by partisan federal interests,” to forcibly occupy local government secretariats despite being sacked by courts of competent jurisdiction.

The government dismissed claims that the affected local government chairmen were reinstated by the courts, describing such assertions as a gross distortion of judicial decisions.

“The court judgments are public documents. There was no reinstatement. Even if there were, tenure is governed strictly by law. Once tenure expires, no court order can revive it,” the statement read.

It further noted that approaching the court does not confer a right to remain in office beyond a legally defined tenure, describing the principle as elementary to constitutional democracy.

The Adeleke administration also cautioned against what it termed the deliberate misinterpretation of the Supreme Court judgment of July 11, 2024, on local government autonomy.

According to the state government, the landmark ruling was intended to free councils from undue executive control, not to legitimise illegal tenure elongation, self-help or continued occupation of office without fresh electoral mandates.

“Autonomy does not translate to anarchy,” the statement stressed.

The government expressed concern over what it described as growing federal complicity, noting that the continued freezing of Osun local government funds raises serious questions about political interference.

“This has gone beyond Osun State. It is now a test of Nigeria’s federalism, constitutional order and the sincerity of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment to the rule of law,” the statement added.

The state government urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene by calling Minister Oyetola to order, warning against the use of federal power to punish states for partisan reasons.

“Nigeria is not a fiefdom, and Osun State is not a conquered territory,” the government declared.

Reaffirming its commitment to peaceful governance, rule of law and grassroots democracy, the Adeleke administration said it would not tolerate federal intimidation, historical revisionism or attempts to convert expired mandates into perpetual entitlements.