Osun Governor Adeleke Demands Release of ₦130bn Withheld LG Funds, Accuses Ex-Governor Oyetola of Backing Illegal Council Occupation
Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke on Monday, delivered a state broadcast that accused his predecessor, Gboyega Oyetola, of using federal security apparatus and financial institutions to paralyse local government administration. The Governor’s address centred on what he termed an "illegal occupation" of local government secretariats.
The Governor formally requested that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu intervene to "rescue" the state’s local governments from a "vice grip of lawlessness". At the heart of the conflict is a staggering ₦130 billion in local government statutory allocations which Adeleke claims is being illegally withheld by the Federal Government. This fiscal deadlock has forced the state administration to divert funds from other critical projects to pay the salaries of primary school teachers, nurses, and local government workers for the past year.
Adeleke asserted that former All Progressives Congress (APC) chairmen and councillors are continuing to occupy council secretariats despite multiple court rulings nullifying their elections and the expiration of their claimed tenures. The Governor noted that while the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal have consistently ruled against the APC officials, they remain in office through "brute force" allegedly provided by the Nigerian Police Force acting on instructions from Oyetola, who currently serves as a federal minister.
"For close to one year now, local government secretariats across Osun State have been under illegal occupation by the court-sacked APC chairmen and councillors," Governor Adeleke stated. He argued that their tenure legally expired on October 22, 2025, and that any continued presence is a "brazen contempt of the law". The Governor emphasised that his administration conducted fresh elections in February 2025, producing a new set of officials who he maintains are the only constitutionally recognised local leaders in the state.
The Governor’s allegations extended beyond political rivals to the banking sector, specifically naming United Bank for Africa (UBA). Adeleke accused the bank of allowing unauthorised persons to operate local government accounts and attempting to facilitate the diversion of the withheld ₦130 billion. He revealed that senior managers at the bank are currently facing criminal prosecution in state courts for aiding and abetting what he described as a financial siege. He questioned whether such an institution would dare to violate financial regulations in international jurisdictions like New York or London.
The Governor explained that his administration has deliberately chosen a path of restraint despite the reported harassment of civil servants by armed police and political thugs. He claimed that the opposition's strategy is to provoke violence to justify the imposition of a state of emergency, which would lead to the suspension of his democratically elected government. "We have frustrated their plans by responding with restraint, maturity, and respect for the rule of law," Adeleke said, though he admitted questioning if the state was still operating under a truly democratic system where no one is above the law.
The Governor expressed confidence that President Tinubu is not personally involved in the manoeuvres, suggesting instead that the President’s name is being invoked by Oyetola to influence federal agencies. Adeleke called on the President to protect the integrity of Nigeria’s democracy by restraining federal interference in the state’s internal governance. He urged the people of Osun to remain peaceful but watchful, promising that his administration would continue to safeguard their welfare despite the significant financial hurdles created by the withheld allocations.
