Osun State Government has rejected calls by a group identifying itself as local government vice chairmen elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC, to account for council allocations spanning more than a year.
The group, operating under the name Forum of Local Government Vice Chairmen, had accused the state government of failing to transparently utilise funds reportedly released to councils between December 2023 and January 2025.
In a statement circulated to journalists in Osogbo, the forum’s chairman, Victor Fatoki, claimed that local governments in the state received over N200 billion within the period under review.
According to the forum, the alleged inflow of funds was not matched by visible projects across several council areas, prompting its demand for a detailed breakdown of how the money was spent.
“We are calling on Governor Ademola Adeleke to demonstrate transparency by accounting for the funds accrued to Osun local governments during the period,” the statement read.
The group argued that communities such as Atakunmosa East, Ila, Ifedayo, Boluwaduro and Obokun lacked infrastructure or interventions commensurate with what it described as substantial allocations.
“It is difficult to identify projects that justify the billions reportedly allocated to these local governments. The situation raised concerns about grassroots governance,” it warned.
Reacting swiftly, the state government dismissed the forum as lacking legal standing, insisting that it did not recognise any such body under Osun law.
Governor Ademola Adeleke, speaking through his deputy spokesperson, Oladele Bamiji, said the administration would not engage with what he described as an unlawful group.
“There is nothing like a Forum of Vice Chairmen elected on the platform of any political party known to the law in Osun State,” Bamiji stated.
He warned that the activities of the group were capable of disrupting public order if not checked.
“They are out to cause confusion, and we will not allow any act capable of causing unrest in the state,” he said.
The governor also questioned the legitimacy of the officials claiming to speak as vice chairmen, noting that their elections were subjects of ongoing legal disputes.
“You cannot build something on nothing. Unknown entities cannot accord themselves legal standing they do not have,” Adeleke said.
The controversy is unfolding against the backdrop of a prolonged legal battle between the Osun State Government and the APC over the control of local government councils and their finances.
That dispute, currently before different courts, has stalled full local government administration in the state since February 2025, with both sides laying claim to authority over council operations and resources.
