Osun state government, the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) and the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSSIEC), have cautioned against purported plans by the Central Bank of Nigeria to release local government allocation to the reinstated chairmen of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Dosu Babatunde, warned the offices of the Accountant General of the Federation and Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to disembark from plans to pay Osun local government allocations to private accounts of ‘some impostors.’

In a statement, Wednesday, Babatunde said, “When Osun State Government first heard about this plan, it quickly took a step through the office of the the Auditor General for Local Governments in the State by sending a letter to the CBN introducing the accounting officers of each of the 30 local Governments to them such as the Heads of Local Government Administrations(H.L.A) and Director of Finance. 

“However, to our great consternation and dismay, the CBN Osogbo office rejected the list with strong suspicion that it planned to pay the allocation of Osun Local Governments to private accounts of former Governor Gboyega Oyetola’s men who submitted their names without the input of the accounting officers of all the LGs in Osun State.

“To this end and with all sense of responsibility, we wish to draw the attention of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to this constitutional shenanigans, because, we are of the conviction and belief that, this unlawful act is being done without the consent and knowledge of Mr President as well as the Honourable Minister of Finance. 

“We wish to further add and warn that, any money paid into private account of any individual is not and will never be Osun State Local Government money, and the consequence for this will be very severe as Osun State Government will not spare any action in line with the dictates of the law in order to redress such anomaly,” Babatunde said.

Speaking at a press conference in Osogbo, Wednesday, the NULGE president in Osun state, Dr. Kehinde Ogungbangbe, explained that a letter dated 10th June, 2025 that emanated from the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, titled: “Re: Payment of statutory allocation to Osun state local government and opening of account,” and signed by one Okolie Rita O. (Director Federation Account Department) Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, was received by the union. 

According to him, the letter reads: “This is to inform you that CBN has requested that the Local Governments should apply for opening and maintenance of the Account as the CBN Osogbo Branch, through any two persons out of the following Officers: Chairman, Treasurer or Director, Finance and Administration or Director of Personnel Management.”

However, Ogungbangbe said the union had informed the Minister of Finance, the Accountant-General of the Federation as well as the CBN Governor that the authorised signatories to Local Government Accounts in the Osun state are the Director of Finance and Supplies and the Director of Administration and General Services with the Head of Local Government Administration and Council Chairmen confirming the Schedules. 

He said the staff of the union shall remain at home until the impasse is settled between the affected parties. 

“We urge all parties to engage in dialogue and respect the rule of Law. The Judiciary should be allowed to handle the matter peacefully. Until a resolution is reached, we will continue to prioritize the safety of our members and of our Local Government System,” Ogungbangbe said.

Also, the OSSIEC chairman, Hashim Abioye, maintained that the only legitimate political authority over Osun local council are the products of February 2025 local government election conducted by the commission under him.

Speaking at a press conference in the commission’s office, Abioye said, “We all must condemn the partisan and biased stance of the Attorney General of the Federation and the Inspector-General of Police who have lent their powers and authority to back the illegal act of the hijackers without any justification. 

“These sacked officials have summoned the shameless boldness, even after losing gallantly in court on 13th June, 2025, to still go back to the local council offices forcefully, posing open threat and menace to the public, sharing bottles of alcoholic drinks in such a rude and crude manner, grandstanding in public properties,” Abioye said.