Adeleke demands release of ₦130bn Osun LG fund, decries siege on council secretariats

By Ayorinde Oluokun/Abuja

Governor Ademola Adeleke, has demanded the immediate release of over ₦130 billion in statutory allocations allegedly withheld from the state’s local governments by the Federal Government.

Adeleke made the demand in a statewide broadcast on Monday on what he described as illegal occupation of local government secretariats by the All Progressives Congress, APC Chairpersons and councilors on Monday.

He disclosed that since February 2025, statutory allocations due to Osun local governments, now totalling about ₦130 billion, have not been released to the legal accounts of the councils.

Adeleke said the funds are critical for the payment of salaries of primary school teachers, nurses, health workers in 332 primary health care centres, council workers, traditional councils, and retirees.

According to him, the state government has had to look for funds and make painful sacrifices to keep salaries paid for almost 12 months, a situation he described as unsustainable.

“Governance is about humanity, responsibility, and compassion, but this burden cannot continue indefinitely,” he said.

The governor also accused the United Bank for Africa (UBA) of allegedly allowing unauthorized persons to operate local government accounts, adding that senior bank officials involved are already facing criminal prosecution. He questioned whether such actions would be tolerated in jurisdictions like New York or London, where the bank operates.

Calling for federal intervention, Adeleke appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to ensure the release of the withheld funds and to protect democratic institutions.

The Governor also alleged that the court-sacked APC chairmen and councillors had unlawfully occupied council offices across the state for nearly a year.

He said this was despite judgments of the Federal High Court, Osogbo, in November 2022 and affirmations by the Court of Appeal in February and June 2025 nullifying their elections.

Adeleke warned that the continued blockade of the LG Secretariats is crippling grassroots governance and inflicting hardship on Osun workers and residents.

“The court removed them, not my administration,” the governor said, stressing that fresh local government elections were conducted in compliance with subsisting court orders, leading to the swearing-in of duly elected chairmen and councillors on February 23, 2025.

Adeleke therefore described the current occupants of the secretariats as imposters acting without any lawful mandate.

He also accused the former governor of Osun State, Gboyega Oyetola, of allegedly backing the continued occupation of the LG Secretariats by APC chairpersons with police support, an action he said undermines democracy and the rule of law.

He further alleged that local government workers who attempted to resume duty were harassed and intimidated by armed police officers and political thugs.

He insisted that the President was not involved in the alleged illegality and urged him to rescue Osun local governments from what he described as an unlawful siege.

“There is no provision in our Constitution for tenure elongation,” Adeleke said, framing the crisis as a choice between constitutional order and naked impunity.

He called on Nigerians and democracy advocates to demand an immediate end to the occupation of local government secretariats and the release of council funds.

The governor urged residents to remain peaceful and law-abiding, assuring them of his administration’s commitment to upholding the Constitution and safeguarding their welfare.