By Jeleel Olawale
Osun state, Senator Ademola Adeleke has rejected allegations from the Osun state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) that he bribed leaders of the National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE).
In a statement released on Sunday by his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, the governor described the claims as baseless and a direct attack on democracy and the judiciary.
He denounced the APC’s accusations as false and politically motivated, saying they were part of a broader attempt to undermine the rule of law.
He said: “The level of impunity being displayed by the state APC constitutes a grave threat to our democratic system.
“The party began by falsifying a Court of Appeal judgment to claim a fake reinstatement of its court-sacked chairmen.”
According to the Governor, the APC had disregarded a legitimate court ruling that affirmed the legality of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chairmen and councillors across all local governments.
“Acting like political bandits in a lawless society, the Osun APC went as far as invading and occupying council secretariats without any legal mandate.With a system that seems to tolerate illegality, they even attempted to claim public funds through another unlawful route until they were lawfully restrained,” he stated.
Adeleke said that despite judicial intervention to clarify the legal position, the opposition’s disregard for the courts had reached “an alarming level.”
“The judiciary has already stepped in to set the records straight, yet the Osun APC remains so embittered and defiant that it continues to argue over a matter currently before the highest court in the land,” he added.
The governor urged the public to dismiss the APC’s “new bag of lies,” asserting that NULGE is an independent body that requires no inducement to defend its interests.
He added: “The collective effort to prevent the looting of local government treasuries involves all responsible stakeholders who need no form of bribery to act in the public interest.
“The opposition has reached the end of its road — the people have resisted illegality, and the judiciary will soon deliver its final verdict.”
Earlier, the Osun APC had accused Governor Adeleke of paying senior NULGE officials to prolong their ongoing strike. In a statement signed by its Director of Media and Information, Kola Olabisi, the APC alleged that the governor provided substantial sums of money to sustain the work stoppage.
According to the APC, a viral video recorded by a senior NULGE member claimed that each Head of Local Government Administration in the 69 local councils and Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) received ₦750,000, while Directors of Administration and Finance got ₦500,000 each. Other directors and NULGE chairmen were reportedly given ₦250,000 apiece — all allegedly funded by the state government to maintain the strike, which has now lasted eight months.
“It is shocking that a government could stoop so low as to sponsor and finance an illegal work stoppage against itself,” Olabisi said, noting that the strike had caused significant hardship for traditional rulers and rural residents.
He further blamed Adeleke for the delays in disbursing local government funds, accusing him of attempting to shift responsibility onto the APC and federal agencies.
“Our consolation as a party is that this administration is temporary it will end by November 27, 2026 and the APC will return to restore the state’s lost glory,” Olabisi added.
The APC also condemned NULGE leaders for allegedly betraying their members, accusing them of abandoning the welfare of lower-ranking council workers struggling under the prolonged strike.
The Party argued that the alleged bribery amounted to a betrayal of the workforce, with many retirees missing their benefits and milestones due to the sustained work stoppage.
