The Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has accused Governor Ademola Adeleke of disbursing N172 million in state funds to labour unions as a bribe for endorsing his second-term bid during the 2025 May Day celebration.

In a statement signed by its Director of Media and Information, Chief Kola Olabisi, the APC alleged that the funds were shared among the Nigerian Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), and the Trade Union Congress (TUC). According to the party, NULGE received N97 million, while the NLC and TUC shared N75 million.

Olabisi claimed the financial inducement was aimed at securing public support from labour leaders for Adeleke’s re-election campaign. He further alleged that the state government procured Ankara fabrics for state workers to create the impression of widespread support during the Workers’ Day rally.

“The intent is to stage a forced show of popularity for Governor Adeleke, whose support has continued to decline due to misgovernance,” Olabisi said.

The APC also criticized the continued absence of local government workers from their duty posts, alleging that the Adeleke administration is complicit in the ongoing strike, which it claims is a tactic to stall the implementation of the Court of Appeal judgment delivered on February 10, 2025, reinstating elected APC local government officials.

“Governor Adeleke’s support for the boycott by a faction of NULGE against his own government is a failure in governance,” Olabisi concluded.

As of the time of filing this report, the Osun State Government had not issued an official response to the allegations.