Osun Takes FG To Supreme Court Over Seized Local Government Funds

The Osun State Government has returned to the Supreme Court after alleging that the Federal Government failed to honour a previously negotiated agreement to release local government funds.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Speaking to Punch on Sunday, Commissioner for Information, Kolapo Alimi, explained that the state had earlier withdrawn a similar case following appeals for an amicable settlement.

“There was an agreement between the state and the Federal Government that if we withdrew the case, they would release the funds. That was why we withdrew the case, but they did not honour their promise,” Alimi said.

He noted that despite interventions from traditional rulers, the Nigerian Bar Association, and other stakeholders, the deadlock persisted. “We know there is no legal basis for their stance; they are simply using federal might. That is why we have returned to the Supreme Court for proper interpretation, so workers’ salaries and the entitlements of the people of Osun, which are being deliberately withheld, can be paid,” he added.

Alimi dismissed suggestions that the withheld allocations were connected to the Supreme Court’s ruling on local government autonomy. “This is not about autonomy. If they want to release the funds, they can pay directly into local government accounts, which are managed by public servants, not politicians. Why should Osun be treated differently?” he questioned.

He also revealed that Governor Ademola Adeleke had been sourcing alternative funds since February to ensure local government workers received their salaries. “If the governor had not found other means to pay these workers since February, does that mean they should starve? Where does the Federal Government get the authority to withhold allocations to other tiers of government?” he asked.

Local council secretariats across Osun have remained closed since February 17 due to ongoing disputes between chairmen elected under the Peoples Democratic Party and the All Progressives Congress over council control.