Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State has accused former local government chairmen and councillors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) of illegally occupying council secretariats across the state, despite court judgements nullifying their elections.
In a statewide broadcast on Monday, the governor said the officials had no lawful mandate to remain in office, insisting that their tenure ended following rulings of the Federal High Court in 2022 and subsequent affirmations by the Court of Appeal in February and June 2025.
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Governor Adeleke maintained that fresh local government elections were lawfully conducted on 22 February 2025 after the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission complied with court orders, adding that the officials sworn in a day later remain the only legally recognised council leadership in the state.
He alleged that the continued occupation of the council offices by the sacked APC officials was being sustained through the backing of security operatives, an action he described as a threat to democratic governance at the grassroots.
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“I did not remove these APC chairmen and councillors from office, the court did. Since then, they have had no lawful mandate whatsoever.
“Yet, in brazen contempt of the law and in repudiation of democratic decency, they have refused to vacate the secretariats, emboldened by the backing of the Nigerian police, as allegedly instructed by former Governor Gboyega Oyetola,” said Governor Adeleke.
Governor Adeleke also alleged that statutory allocations to Osun State local governments, amounting to about N130 billion, had been withheld since February 2025, worsening the financial strain on primary school teachers, health workers, council staff and retirees.
“As you are aware, since February 2025, statutory allocations to Osun State local governments have been withheld. As of the last FAAC meeting, a total of one hundred and thirty billion naira (N130 billion) of our local government funds is being illegally withheld by the Federal Government.
“The local government statutory allocation is the primary source for the remuneration of primary school teachers, nurses, and other health workers.This is not sustainable,” he said.
In December 2025, the Supreme Court condemned the seizure of the Osun State local goverment funds by the federal government. It however stopped short of ordering the release of the funds to the local government area because, in the view of the majority decision of 6-1 justices of the court, the Osun State Government which brought the legal action lacked the authority to do so on behalf of the local govovernments who owned the money.
Allegations against Oyetola
The governor alleged that former Osun State governor Gboyega Oyetola, who is the current minister of marie and blue economy, has continued to exert influence over affairs of Osun State by backing individuals whose tenure in local government has lapsed.
He said that the ex-governor was using federal security agencies, particularly the police, to sustain an unlawful hold on council secretariats, a development he said threatens public order and undermines democratic norms in the state.
According to him, his administration has formally alerted the leadership of relevant security agencies to the situation, warning that the actions of those involved were creating tension and eroding respect for the rule of law at the grassroots level.
He said, “In Osun State, it seems that the APC chairmen and councillors, whose so-called tenure has expired, are above the law by the grace of former Governor Gboyega Oyetola. I have formally written to the heads of relevant federal security agencies regarding actions that threaten peace and order in Osun State.
“It is deeply unfortunate that former Governor Gboyega Oyetola has chosen to weaponise federal institutions, particularly the Nigerian Police Force. He has equally applied the same approach to the United Bank for Africa Plc (UBA) to impose hardship and suffering on the good people of Osun State through alleged illegal instructions.”
Allegations against UBA
The governor also accused United Bank for Africa (UBA) of facilitating financial irregularities linked to Osun’s local government funds.
He alleged that statutory allocations running into over N130 billion had been blocked since early 2025, with attempts made to reroute the funds through accounts opened by individuals who lack legal authority to manage council finances.
He questioned the bank’s conduct, adding that UBA would not permit such actions in jurisdictions where the rule of law is strictly enforced, and accused it of enabling practices that have deepened financial hardship for workers and residents dependent on local government resources.
“Attempts were made to divert those funds through accounts opened with United Bank for Africa (UBA) by people not authorized by law to be signatories to local government funds.
“What I do not understand is why a reputable international bank like UBA has allowed itself to be used to break our laws and permit people who are not recognized by law to be signatories to Osun State local government accounts, after it has been advised on those whom the law says can be signatories to these accounts.
“Can UBA wilfully break the laws of New York State or the laws of the City of London where it operates? The answer is a CAPITAL NO,” the governor said.
Allegations against police
The governor further accused the Nigerian Police Force of providing protection for what he described as an unlawful occupation of public facilities, claiming that some local government workers were assaulted when they attempted to resume duties.
“Although the police initially promised protection, many of these workers were instead beaten, harassed, and intimidated by a combination of armed police officers and APC thugs. The use of armed police officers to occupy local government secretariats and intimidate civil servants is a grave abuse of power and an affront to democracy.
“My administration took serious exception to this development. However, we have deliberately chosen the path of peace. This is because the ultimate objective of these enemies of our people is to provoke violence, unleash mayhem, and then manufacture conditions for the imposition of a state of emergency on Osun State,” the governor said.
Governor Adeleke appealed to President Bola Tinubu to intervene, stressing that the president was not complicit in the situation but that his name was allegedly being used to justify actions undermining democratic order in the state.
“At this point, I respectfully appeal to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene. I wish to assure the good people of Osun State that Mr. President is not involved in this illegality. Mr. President is among those who fought the military for our democracy,” the governor stated.
He urged residents of the state to remain peaceful while insisting that his administration would continue to defend constitutional governance and the rule of law in Osun State.
Background
The dispute over local government administration in Osun State dates back to the conduct of council elections held under the previous administration.
In November 2022, the Federal High Court in Osogbo nullified the election of local government chairmen and councillors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), citing non-compliance with electoral and constitutional requirements.
The ruling was later upheld by the Court of Appeal.
Following the judgements, the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission was directed by the courts to organise fresh local government elections. The commission subsequently conducted new polls in February 2025, after which newly elected chairmen and councillors were sworn into office by the state government.
However, the sacked APC officials reportedly remained in occupation of several local government secretariats, leading to parallel claims of authority at the council level.
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