Elected local government officials under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Osun State have called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene in the ongoing controversy surrounding the disbursement of local government allocations, warning that any misstep could spark anarchy.
The officials, under the umbrella of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), made the appeal during a press conference held on Tuesday at the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in Abere, Osun State.
Speaking on behalf of the group, ALGON Chairman in the state, Hon. Sharafadeen Awotunde, urged President Tinubu to direct the Accountant General of the Federation to call the Controller of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in Osun to order.
Awotunde emphasized that only duly elected local government officials, alongside the Directors of Finance and Heads of Local Government Administration, are the authorized signatories to the councils’ accounts.
“We know President Bola Tinubu is the father of the nation. All we want him to do is to call the Accountant General to order,” Awotunde said. “The Accountant General must instruct the CBN Controller in Osogbo not to take actions that could destabilize the state. Any attempt to bypass elected officials in handling local government funds could lead to anarchy.”
The press briefing comes amid growing tension between the Osun State Government and the All Progressives Congress (APC) over the control of the local government system. Both parties claim legal backing from the Appeal Court, Akure Division, citing judgments delivered on February 10 and June 13, 2025, as justification for their respective positions.
It was based on the February 10 judgment that the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSSIEC) conducted the local government elections on February 22, 2025. The PDP won all available seats in the election.
However, despite the victory, Governor Ademola Adeleke directed the elected officials to refrain from resuming office to prevent a potential breakdown of law and order. This decision followed earlier violent clashes in several local government secretariats across the state, sparked by differing interpretations of the court ruling.
Tragically, the unrest claimed six lives, including that of Remi Abass, the APC chairmanship candidate in Ikire, Irewole Local Government Area.
As the legal tussle and political tension continue, stakeholders are calling for calm and urging federal authorities to take swift and decisive action to avert further crisis.
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