Adeleke slams federal partisanship, demands respect for sub-national rights
Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, has called for strict adherence to constitutional provisions guiding the relationship between the Federal Government and sub-national entities, insisting that partisan bias must not be allowed to determine access to national opportunities or development initiatives.
This was contained in a statement signed by Mallam Olawale Rasheed, Spokesperson to the State Governor, following Governor Adeleke’s address at the South West Summit organised by Afenifere in partnership with the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN) Commission, held in Akure, Ondo State.
The statement reads partly: “There is an ongoing wilful breach of the constitution to deprive a sub-national entity its due rights simply because it does not belong to the same party with the ruling party at the centre.
“If we are to study and review the state of engagements between the centre and the states, Osun therefore provides extensive data on how not to treat a sub-national entity in a truly democratic environment.
“From 2022 till date, Osun holds the records of constant participation and mention in critical federal reports. Interestingly, our state won quite a number of medals in national sectoral reviews organised by the Federal Government.
“In the area of real sector collaboration, our government took up reconstruction of some federal roads. Up till date, we are still struggling to get a refund. We sought to facilitate the take-off of many federal abandoned projects; we met brick walls.”
Governor Adeleke, who was represented at the event by Deputy Governor Prince Kola Adewusi, decried what he described as “politicisation of federal power” and “open bias” in the handling of state affairs by some federal operatives.
He said Osun’s experience reflects a dangerous precedent for Nigeria’s democracy.
According to him, certain federal agencies have allegedly bypassed the state government, channelling projects and nominations through political party structures instead of official institutions. He said this has “undermined and threatened” the constitutional dynamics between national and sub-national governments.
The Governor accused federal authorities of applying power outside the ambit of the constitution, citing examples such as the seizure of Osun’s local government funds and the prevention of duly elected council officials from assuming office.
He said, “It is trite in every democratic order that the rule of law within the ambit of the constitution is the regulatory framework for wielding state powers. In the case of Osun, federal power is being applied outside the regulation of the constitution.”
Adeleke warned that such impunity and abuse of power erode the essence of Nigeria’s federalism and diminish the prospects for constructive collaboration between the centre and the states.
Despite the challenges, the Governor highlighted Osun’s performance in several federal assessments, noting that the state had achieved remarkable improvements in health, education, innovation, and debt management.
He stated that Osun ranked first in access to primary health care in the South West, reduced its debt profile by 40 percent, improved its NECO ranking from 33rd to 7th nationwide, and became the first state to domesticate the Federal Startup Act. The state also ranked sixth nationally in climate change governance.
Adeleke urged South West states to transcend political affiliations and focus on regional cooperation, including the development of a circular cargo railway, dry ports, and agro-industrial networks, while strengthening the Amotekun security outfit to protect the region.