-
They are mischievous, says government
From Lateef Dada, Osogbo
Former chairmen of Local Government Areas in Osun State have called on the presidency and other relevant agencies to prevail on Governor Ademola Adeleke to account for N183,196,629,321.19 accrued to the 30 local governments between November 2022 and November 2024.
The ex-council chairmen, who were elected on 15th October 2022 under the All Progressives Congress (APC), made the call during a press conference jointly addressed by Chief Owoeye Abiodun Samuel, Alhaji Yusuf Bashir Akintegbe, Hon. Elugbaju Olayera Jacob, and Hon. Adepoju Johnson Oladele in Osogbo at the weekend. They alleged that Governor Adeleke had violated the constitution by withholding the funds owed to local governments for two years.
According to them, the action of Governor Adeleke has impoverished the people of the state, particularly those at the grassroots who are supposed to benefit from the allocation.
“The administration of Ademola Adeleke has violated the 1999 Constitution by withholding and spending the federal allocation in the total sum of N183,196,629,321.19 standing in credit of the 30 Local Government Councils from November 2022 to November 2024.”
“Despite the fact that the actions by the Adeleke administration are against the spirit and decision of the Supreme Court on the sovereignty of local governments in the country, especially with regard to their funding, we are deeply concerned by the flagrant abuse and disregard for the judicial pronouncement of the highest court in the land.”
“That the Ademola Adeleke administration has received, spent, and/or tampered with funds released from the Federation Account in the sum of N183,196,629,321.19 standing to the credit of the 30 Local Government Councils in Osun State from November 2022 to November 2024.”
“We all recall that on 11th July 2024, in Suit No: SC/CV/343/2024, the Supreme Court in its landmark judgment forbade state governments in the country from tampering with local governments’ allocations.”
“This untoward behaviour of the PDP administration in Osun has ignominiously impoverished the people of the state, especially those at the grassroots.”
“To this effect, it is disheartening to note that between November 2022 and November 2024, a staggering sum of N183,196,629,321.19, being allocation to the 30 Local Government Councils of the state, has been received and unfathomably spent by the Ademola Adeleke administration.”
“Curiously, our concern stems from the fact that the Ademola Adeleke administration has embarked on this impunity without democratically elected local government officials in place.”
“This in itself is an intentional subversion of the 1999 Constitution (as amended). As law-abiding citizens of Nigeria, we frown at this unbecoming attitude of the PDP administration in Osun State,” they added.
When contacted, the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, said the former council chairmen were fond of propaganda.
“They are mischievous. We shall react to their allegations appropriately,” Alimi said.