A fresh dispute has erupted within the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, ALGON, in Osun State, as two rival chairmen on Wednesday issued opposing statements over the control, tenure and funding of local councils.
In a statement released in Osogbo, ALGON chairman elected under the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Sarafadeen Abiodun Awotunde, accused another ALGON faction led by Samuel Idowu Abiodun, elected under the All Progressives Congress, APC, in October 2022, of issuing what he described as a misleading account of recent developments in the local government system.
Awotunde, who is also Chairman of Ifelodun LGA, said claims that council activities were stalled by the state government were inaccurate.
He insisted that Governor Ademola Adeleke had continued to prioritise grassroots development across Osun State.
According to him, “The people of Osun can see ongoing road works, rehabilitation of schools, upgrading of health facilities and payment of inherited salary arrears across the state, which contradict claims of stagnation at the grassroots.”
Questioning the legitimacy of the councils led by Abiodun’s group, Awotunde argued that their continued occupation of council secretariats followed a misinterpretation of appellate court decisions on local government tenure.
Awotunde warned that “all loans and financial commitments entered into without democratic legitimacy will be accounted for. Court processes should not replace electoral validation in determining council leadership.”
Awotunde reiterated that “democracy is earned through the ballot and not technical interpretations. Osun electorate would ultimately determine the legitimate leadership of local councils.”
Earlier, the ALGON faction led by Samuel Idowu Abiodun had rejected the allegations, insisting that delays in council projects were caused by ongoing litigations initiated by the state government.
Abiodun stated that, “Contrary to public claims, the Federal Government has been releasing local government allocations regularly and directly into councils’ accounts, as required by law.”
He maintained that the councils were unable to fully access and utilise the funds due to multiple legal actions challenging their reinstatement, adding that such suits had slowed the execution of projects already approved in council budgets.
Addressing the issue of tenure, Abiodun said the reinstated chairmen and councillors sought judicial clarification at the Federal High Court, arguing that their three-year tenure commenced on February 10, 2025, following the Court of Appeal judgment.
“Our tenure is a constitutional matter. Until there is a contrary ruling from the Supreme Court, the reinstatement remains valid and subsisting,” he said.
He also faulted Governor Adeleke’s call for local government funds to be routed through a joint account, describing it as inconsistent with the Supreme Court’s pronouncement on local government autonomy.
The ALGON chairman cautioned the state government against linking former Governor and current Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, to the local government crisis, noting that council affairs were independent of federal ministerial duties.
