The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Osun State has accused the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government of deliberate sabotage and unconstitutional interference in the affairs of the state, following the alleged directive by the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, to halt the disbursement of local government allocations.
In a statement signed by its Director of Media, Olaleke Bamiji, on Monday, the PDP described the AGF’s action as an abuse of office and a dangerous erosion of the separation of powers. The party claimed that the move, which it said lacked any judicial backing, was politically motivated and designed to cripple governance at the grassroots in Osun State.
The PDP called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to call the AGF to order and remind him that no one is above the law, especially someone occupying the office of the nation’s Chief Law Officer. The party accused Fagbemi of acting in bad faith, citing his previous role as legal counsel to former Osun State governor and current Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola, as a conflict of interest.
“The act, ex facie, is not only ultra vires but also a subversion of the rule of law. Nemo judex in causa sua — no one should be a judge in his own cause. Mr. Fagbemi, having previously served as lead counsel to Mr. Gboyega Oyetola, a principal actor in Osun APC, ought to recuse himself from any matter directly or indirectly affecting the political ecosystem of the State,” the statement read.
The PDP argued that the withholding of allocations to elected local governments was a clear violation of constitutional principles and the right to fair hearing, as no court order was issued to justify the decision.
The party added that Fagbemi’s warning to the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSSIEC) ahead of the February 2025 local government polls lacked legal merit and further exposed his bias against the PDP-led government in the state.
In response, the Osun State chapter of the APC dismissed the PDP’s allegations, describing them as blackmail and an attempt to manipulate public opinion. In a statement signed by the party’s Director of Media and Information, Kola Olabisi, the APC accused the PDP of frustrating governance at the grassroots since February 16, 2025, and attempting to use public sympathy to override judicial decisions.
Olabisi claimed the PDP-led administration had refused to allow local government workers to resume duties in order to block APC officials from taking charge, despite a valid judgment by the Court of Appeal sitting in Akure which reinstated the APC-elected officials from the October 15, 2022 elections.
He said the PDP’s attempt to discredit the AGF was baseless, adding that the party had filed multiple suits, including an appeal to the Supreme Court, in an attempt to overrule the appellate court’s decision.
“The PDP government is so desperate that it has subjected millions of people at the grassroots to avoidable hardship by ensuring that workers at this level don’t go to work since 16th February 2025 all in quest to frustrate the APC from reaping the fruits of her success from court,” Olabisi stated.
He added that the AGF’s actions were in line with the rule of law and commended the Federal Government for standing firm, despite pressure from what he called the PDP’s “campaign of blackmail and propaganda.”
The controversy stems from a power tussle between the PDP and APC over control of local governments in the state. While the PDP claims victory in the February 22, 2025 local government elections conducted by OSSIEC, the APC maintains that its candidates remain the legitimate office holders based on the appellate court’s ruling on the October 15, 2022 polls held under the previous Oyetola administration.
With the local councils paralyzed and both parties locked in legal and political battles, the Osun State Government has approached the Supreme Court to seek redress and compel the release of the seized funds.
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