Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State has strongly criticised Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, accusing him of using federal influence to perpetuate lawlessness in the ongoing local government funds crisis in the state.
In a press statement released on 28 January 2026 by the Osun State Government and signed by Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Oluomo Kolapo Alimi, the administration described Oyetola’s recent comments as “intemperate, misleading and inflammatory”.
Read the related story on New Daily Prime: Osun APC slams Adeleke over claims on LG allocations
The dispute centres on the withholding of local government allocations to Osun State and the occupation of council secretariats by individuals the state government claims were sacked by court rulings.
Governor Adeleke’s statement asserts that unelected persons, allegedly supported by partisan federal actors, have forcefully occupied the secretariats following their removal by judicial decisions.
The governor rejected claims that the affected local government chairmen had been “reinstated” and remained lawfully in office, insisting that court judgements described as public documents show no such reinstatement occurred.
He emphasised that tenure expiration is a matter of law, not sentiment, and no court order can extend a mandate beyond its constitutional limit.
Adeleke further argued that the Supreme Court’s July 2024 judgement on local government autonomy was intended to protect councils from state interference, not to enable illegal tenure extensions, self-help, or occupation without fresh elections. “Autonomy does not translate to anarchy,” the statement read.
Expressing alarm at perceived federal complicity, the governor highlighted the continued freezing of Osun’s local government funds despite legal and moral obligations, describing it as a test for Nigeria’s federalism and President Tinubu’s commitment to the rule of law.
Read the related story on New Daily Prime: Adeleke condemns illegal occupation of local govt secretariats
He called on President Tinubu to restrain Minister Oyetola from using federal power for partisan purposes or local vendettas.
The Osun State Government reaffirmed its dedication to the rule of law, peaceful governance, and grassroots democracy, while rejecting what it termed federal intimidation and historical revisionism.
The crisis, which has seen over N130 billion in allocations reportedly withheld since early 2025, has sparked mutual accusations between the PDP-led state administration and the opposition APC, amid preparations for the 2026 governorship election.
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