The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State has accused Governor Ademola Adeleke of deliberately misleading the public regarding the legal and administrative status of Local Government Councils in the state.
Addressing journalists in Osogbo on Wednesday, the party’s Director of Media and Publicity, Kola Olabisi, described the Governor’s recent broadcast which labeled the tenure of APC council chairmen as illegal as a distortion of facts capable of undermining democratic trust.
The controversy centers on Governor Adeleke’s claim that the reinstated APC chairmen and councillors are illegally occupying secretariats through a self-awarded tenure extension.
However, the APC insists their return to office is backed by a valid Court of Appeal judgment delivered on February 10, 2025, which nullified the grounds for their earlier removal.
Olabisi argued that the Governor’s continued interference in local government affairs contradicts established Supreme Court precedents on autonomy.
He noted that the apex court has affirmed that Local Government Councils are distinct legal entities, meaning the State Government lacks the locus standi to litigate on their behalf regarding federal allocations.
“It is puzzling that Governor Adeleke persists in acting as though local governments are appendages of the state executive, when the Supreme Court has expressly rejected that notion,” Olabisi stated.
He urged the Governor to respect the constitutional order and allow the elected councils to access their funds independently.
The APC also condemned what it termed the Governor’s habit of scapegoating his predecessor, Minister of Marine and Blue Economy Gboyega Oyetola, for current administrative challenges.
The party advised Adeleke to rise above “
politics of bitterness and refrain from seeking presidential intervention to undermine judicial pronouncements on local government autonomy.