Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has reiterated that the tenure of local government chairmen elected under the All Progressives Congress (APC) lapsed on October 22, 2025, and cannot be extended under the constitution or Supreme Court precedents.

Governor Adeleke, through his spokesperson Olawale Rasheed, emphasized that while he respects local government autonomy, it does not justify unelected APC officials with expired self-awarded tenure occupying council secretariats or handling public funds illegally.

He stated:
“Local government autonomy is not equal to unjustifiable seizure of local government funds meant to pay local health workers, teachers, and pensioners. I have continued paying these workers because local autonomy does not mean imposing avoidable hardship on the people.”

During a statewide broadcast on Monday, Adeleke reiterated that those currently occupying the councils have no mandate or tenure and should vacate the secretariats immediately.

“The self-awarded tenure, which was illegal in the first place, ended last year,” he said, questioning the authority under which the APC politicians continue to hold onto the councils.

The governor also condemned actions by banks, particularly UBA, for allegedly colluding with APC officials to open local government accounts, describing it as a criminal breach of the law:
“In a law-abiding society, reputable banks will not violate state laws on local government accounts. Yet, the UBA has allowed APC men without mandates access to public funds. This illegality must stop.”

Adeleke appealed to the Presidency, lovers of democracy in Nigeria, and the international community to protect democratic practices and prevent the truncation of legitimate governance:
“Inflicting suffering on local workers is not politics. It is man’s inhumanity to fellow human beings. This must stop.”