…says State govt lost 13 litigations against LGAs

By Shina Abubakar, Osogbo

Following allegations of local government fund diversion made by the Osun State House of Assembly, the state chapter of the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON) has maintained that its expenditures since resuming office have been legal and conducted in accordance with due process.

The Speaker of the State Assembly, Mr. Adewale Egbedun, had on Sunday alleged that council officials—whom he claimed are on an “illegal tenure”—conspired with a commercial bank and the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Mr. Gboyega Oyetola, to divert funds meant for local government councils.

Addressing newsmen in Osogbo on behalf of other council chairmen and councillors on Monday, ALGON Chairman, Abiodun Idowu, stated that no funds were expended by any council in the state without the prior approval of the legislative arm at the grassroots level.

He further explained that councils across the state, acting in line with directives on Local Government Autonomy, opened accounts at the United Bank for Africa (UBA) after observing that grassroots workers had become partisan. He maintained that this move did not violate any existing laws.

Idowu said, “Following the cantankerous refusal of partisan workers to go to work for almost a year, the councils under our administration devised a lawful means by which bank accounts were opened. This was to ensure the local government system, which the Federal Government has laboured to preserve constitutionally, does not perish in Osun State as planned by the Governor Ademola Adeleke administration.

“All legally required procedures were observed by the councils and UBA to ensure there was no infraction of the law. The public should know that this process took more than seven months to complete successfully.”

He added that the councils embarked on paying both regular and casual workers who resumed duty following a nearly year-long strike by NULGE. He clarified that while elected council officials were also paid, the amounts were not the “outlandish sums” claimed by the Speaker.

“In line with the Local Government Administration Law, no payment was made without seeking and obtaining the approval of the Legislative Arm of the councils,” Idowu added. “It appears Egbedun was ignorant of this procedure, leading him into this avoidable ignominy. Had he exercised a modicum of patience, he might have been educated on the laws regulating local government operations.

“There is no illegality being perpetrated. We debunk the Speaker’s allegations as cheap propaganda aimed at gaining unlawful access to local government funds. It is intriguing that a state government that has failed to account for over N800 billion received from the Federal Government is attempting to illegally annex allocations belonging to local governments.”

Also speaking, the Chairman of Irepodun Local Government Area, Barrister Adegoke Ogunsola, accused the state government of creating barriers to prevent councils from accessing funds. He noted that the Adeleke administration has lost 13 out of 14 litigations against council officials in the last year.

“The only subsisting case is a criminal charge against UBA and three of its staff before a Magistrate Court. However, a State High Court has already granted us a motion to quash those charges. The High Court has adjourned the matter until February 9, 2026. I am confident we will be victorious in that case as well.

“Local government financial autonomy is guaranteed by law, granting councils the power to execute projects and pay salaries without interference from the state government. The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy plays no role in local council administration,” Ogunsola stated.