The Osun State Government has again urged the Federal Government to release the state’s withheld local government allocations, citing the recent Court of Appeal judgment affirming the legitimacy of the state’s elected local government officials.
In a statement issued by the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Oluomo Kolapo Alimi, the government welcomed the intervention of traditional rulers and other leaders of thought in seeking the immediate release of the funds, warning that the continued seizure is worsening hardship at the grassroots.
According to Alimi, there is “no legal or political basis” for withholding the allocations, stressing that the court judgment nullifying the tenure of the APC’s “Yes/No” election chairmen and councillors remains valid and was upheld by the June 13 Court of Appeal ruling.
“The elected chairmen and councillors produced from the February 22, 2025 local government elections are the lawful leaders of the councils,” he said. “There is no judicial order stopping the release of the funds, and Osun cannot be singled out among 36 states when the Supreme Court judgment on local government autonomy is yet to be implemented nationwide.”
The statement further alleged that the fund seizure was orchestrated without presidential approval.
“We know President Bola Ahmed Tinubu only became aware of the seizure from the Nigerian Tribune front page during the Ileya holidays. This means the Attorney-General of the Federation instructed the Accountant-General to withhold the funds without Mr. President’s consent,” Alimi claimed.
The government said it fully supports the Osun State Council of Traditional Rulers’ plan to meet with the President on the issue, describing it as “beyond politics” and directly tied to the welfare of the people.
“As a government, we believe those behind this move are targeting Governor Ademola Adeleke, but the real victims are the people of Osun State. We call on them to abandon this anti-people path and release the funds without delay,” the statement concluded.
