- Safiu Kehinde
Another tug of words have ensued between the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) as Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, took the Federal Government to the Supreme Court over alleged seizure of the state’s allocation.
Recall that the Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN) had recently directed relevant stakeholders to withhold February, March, April and May allocations of the Osun State local councils over the protracted battle between the APC and the PDP chapters of the state.
The crisis for the control of the LGAs could be traced back to Adeleke’s conduct of the council election last year despite alleged court’s verdict reinstating the sacked APC LG chairmen and councillors.
The conduct of the election which saw new LG leaders emerged had since led to the clash for control.
This had resulted to the Federal Government’s decision to withhold the councils’ allocation.
Reacting to the development, the Osun PDP, in a statement issued by its Media Director, Oladele Bamiji, accused Fagbemi of gross abuse of office and high-handedness.
According to report, Bamiji said that the AGF’s action portrays not just a conflict of interest but also a dangerous erosion of the doctrine of separation of powers, which forbids him from usurping judicial powers not vested in him by law.
In a counter reaction, the Osun APC defended the seizure of the allocation.
While advised members of the public to ignore the PDP’s claim, the APC in the statement issued on Monday by its Director of Media and Information, Kola Olabisi, maintained that the Federal Government acted in compliance with the rule of law.
“The same PDP-led government, which has denigrated the Court of Appeal judgment, is now calling for a rule of law, which has never changed, but strictly observed by the Federal Government in its doings.” he wrote.
Meanwhile, Adeleke had in the suit, dated April 23, 2025, and filed by counsel to the Attorney General of Osun State (plaintiff), Musibau Adetunbi (SAN), called on the Supreme Court to direct the Federal Government to release the seized funds.
The governor also urged the court to restrain the FG, especially Fagbemi who is the sole defendant from further withholding, suspending and seizing fund allocations to the local councils in the state, among others.
No date has however been fixed for the hearing of the case.