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Governor Ademola Adeleke has welcomed the intervention of the Osun State Council of Obas, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), and other groups that urged the Federal Government to release local government funds withheld from Osun State.
Naija News reports that the governor, in a statement, praised the groups for supporting the rule of law and insisted that his administration has acted within legal boundaries throughout the local government dispute.
The NBA had earlier set up a committee to examine the Osun local government issue, concluding that there is no legal reason for the continued withholding of council allocations.
The report confirmed that the removal of APC local government chairmen in 2022 was a court decision, not an action by the state government.
Fresh elections held on February 22, 2025, to fill the resulting vacancies were conducted under court supervision, and the PDP candidates who won are recognized as the legitimate officeholders by the Court of Appeal as of June 13, 2025.
Governor Adeleke thanked the NBA, royal leaders, and legal experts who supported the state’s claim.
He reiterated the call for the Federal Government to release all funds due to Osun local governments, noting that withholding allocations lacks both legal and constitutional justification.
He assured that his administration will continue to follow due process in ensuring justice for the state.
The local government dispute in Osun began after the 2022 elections under former Governor Adegboyega Oyetola, which were nullified by the Federal High Court.
Subsequent caretaker appointments and legal appeals created uncertainty over council leadership.
Despite multiple court rulings confirming the validity of the February 2025 elections, the Federal Government reportedly continued to recognize the sacked APC officials and withheld council funds, according to NBA communications.
The NBA called the withholding of allocations unconstitutional and warned it undermines public trust in democratic institutions.
The association has directed its National Litigation Committee to engage federal and state authorities to ensure that the rightful PDP-elected council officials receive their funds.
If talks fail, the NBA plans to take legal action to enforce compliance with the law.
The post Adeleke Urges FG To Release Osun LG Funds After NBA, Obas’ Intervention appeared first on Naija News.
