NULGE accuses officials of diversion, APC defends legality, PDP insists on transparency in ongoing Osun local government funds controversy.
The political atmosphere in Osun State has again become tense as controversy grows over the management of statutory allocations to the 30 local governments.
At the centre of the storm are the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), the All Progressives Congress (APC), and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), each accusing the other of misrepresentation, illegality, and abuse of power.
For weeks, Osun local government funds have been the subject of fierce dispute, with allegations of diversion, conflicting interpretations of court rulings, and fears of political destabilisation.
On Sunday, the Osun State chapter of NULGE addressed journalists in Osogbo, accusing key federal officials—the Minister of Finance, the Accountant-General of the Federation, and the Attorney-General of the Federation—of abuse of office.
The union alleged that between March and September 2025, statutory allocations were wrongly paid into United Bank for Africa (UBA) accounts opened by APC chairmen and councillors removed from office by earlier court rulings.
According to NULGE, legitimate council accounts managed by career officers already existed, yet were ignored.
It described the practice as “bizarre, unprecedented, and a dangerous abuse of financial systems in Nigeria.”
The union also pointed to a May 15, 2025, ruling by the Federal High Court ordering all parties to maintain the status quo, a decision acknowledged by the Central Bank of Nigeria.
It stressed that the matter remained before the Federal High Court, with another hearing set for September 29, 2025.
“The Attorney-General cannot assume the role of the Supreme Court. He is not above the law,” NULGE said, adding that both the Federal High Court and Court of Appeal had nullified the tenure of the APC chairmen and councillors, creating space for new local government executives.
NULGE warned that undermining judicial authority could spark unrest in Osun and alleged that some political actors might even be plotting to create chaos to justify a state of emergency.
Despite this, it urged citizens to remain calm, support Governor Ademola Adeleke’s development agenda, and place trust in God and the courts.
In a swift response, the APC rejected the allegations, describing NULGE’s statement as “a pack of lies and deliberate misrepresentation.”
In a statement signed by its Director of Media and Information, Kola Olabisi, the party accused the NULGE leadership of overstepping its role and acting as a mouthpiece for the PDP.
According to the APC, the Court of Appeal judgment delivered on February 10, 2025, reinstated its local government chairmen and councillors, and that ruling remains binding since no higher court has overturned it.
“NULGE cannot play the role of the judiciary,” the APC said, maintaining that its officials were the rightful custodians of local council authority.
The party further denied that allocations were deposited into private accounts. Instead, it insisted that the funds were credited directly into official council accounts, in line with financial procedure.
It dismissed NULGE’s accusations as political propaganda meant to mislead workers and the public.
Calling for vigilance, the APC urged security agencies to protect the peace-loving people of Osun and warned NULGE against being used as a political tool by the ruling PDP.
The PDP, however, countered the APC’s position, insisting that the opposition party had effectively admitted that the funds were released, though without transparency.
In a statement signed by state chairman Sunday Bisi, the ruling party demanded that the APC publish the details of the accounts into which the allocations were paid and reveal the signatories.
According to the PDP, neither the accountant-general of the state, the auditor-general for local governments, nor the Ministry of Local Government Affairs was aware of the transactions, a fact which pointed to possible diversion.
“The APC’s explanation amounts to an indirect confession of crime against the people of Osun,” the PDP said.
“It accused the opposition of masterminding what could be “the greatest heist in Nigeria’s history,” and insisted that insulting NULGE would not erase the demand for accountability.
Bisi reaffirmed that under Governor Ademola Adeleke, transparency and accountability would remain guiding principles, stressing that no amount of blackmail would derail the government’s commitment to prudent management of public resources.
The dispute over Osun local government funds highlights deeper governance challenges in Nigeria.
Experts warn that beyond party rivalry, the controversy reflects the fragile state of local government autonomy and the dangers of political interference in grassroots administration.
For civil society, the stakes are particularly high because local government allocations are meant to fund primary health care, rural infrastructure, waste management, and community development.
When these funds are mismanaged or diverted, the consequences fall directly on ordinary citizens.
Observers also note that conflicting interpretations of judicial rulings have worsened tensions, raising urgent questions about respect for the rule of law.
Some analysts argue that the involvement of top federal officials risks politicising an already delicate matter, while others see the situation as a test of Nigeria’s federalism.
As the court prepares to sit on September 29, the eyes of Osun residents and political watchers nationwide will be fixed on the outcome.
Until then, the war of words among NULGE, APC, and PDP is likely to intensify, with each side defending its position vigorously.
What remains clear, however, is that the controversy over Osun local government funds is more than a political quarrel—it is a struggle over governance, accountability, and the future of grassroots development in the state.
