Withholding Osun LG Funds Illegal, Unjust — Accord Tells FG

 

The Accord Party has faulted the continued withholding of local government allocations to Osun State, describing the action by the Federal Government as illegal, unjust and inimical to grassroots governance.

In a statement issued on Friday, the National Chairman of Accord, Maxwell Mgbudem, urged the Federal Government to immediately release all outstanding allocations to the 30 local government councils in the state, which he said amount to about N130 billion.

Mgbudem said the funds are critical to the effective delivery of governance at the grassroots, stressing that local governments remain the tier of government closest to the people.

“It is unfair and unjust to withhold funds meant for effective and efficient governance at the grassroots level. There is no justification whatsoever for denying the people of Osun State their constitutional entitlements,” he said.

BACKGROUND

Recall that the crisis followed the conduct of local government elections by the Osun State Government in February 2025, during which chairmen were elected across the 30 councils.

The elections, however, were marred by violence, disputes and legal battles, as sacked local government chairmen elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) sought to reclaim their seats, citing a court judgment.

The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, had earlier advised Governor Ademola Adeleke to halt the election process, insisting that the ousted APC chairmen be reinstated following a Court of Appeal ruling which dismissed the judgment of the lower court that removed them.

Despite the advice, the Osun State Government proceeded with the polls, prompting the APC and Labour Party (LP) to withdraw from the exercise.

Subsequently, the APC petitioned the Federal Government to withhold allocations to the local councils, arguing that the election was unlawful.

SUPREME COURT VERDICT

In December, the Supreme Court dismissed a suit filed by the Osun State Attorney-General seeking to compel the Federal Government to release the withheld allocations directly to the local government councils.

The apex court held that the Osun Attorney-General lacked the legal standing to institute the suit on behalf of the 30 local government councils.

However, the Supreme Court rejected the contempt allegation levelled against the Osun Attorney-General, ruling instead that the Attorney-General of the Federation acted in contempt by withholding the funds.

CALL FOR INTERVENTION

Reacting to the development, Accord called on the APC-backed chairmen to vacate the local government secretariats immediately, accusing them of occupying the offices under police protection.

“There is no justification for their continued occupation of local government secretariats as if Nigeria were a banana republic where might is right. This is an outrageous assault on democracy and the rule of law,” Mgbudem said.

He appealed to President Bola Tinubu to intervene urgently to restore democratic values and ensure the resumption of normal governance at the grassroots level in Osun State.