Local government workers in Osun state, under the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees, NULGE, has accused the federal government of paying council funds into private accounts.
The Union made the allegation at a press conference in Osogbo, the state capital on Sunday, addressed by the NULGE President Dr Nathaniel Ogungbangbe.
The allegation also comes amidst the struggle between the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and All Progressives Congress, APC over who is in control of the 30 councils in the state, which stalled the payment of funds, from the Federation Account to the councils since March this year.
The matter is currently before the Supreme Court.
NULGE however said the federal government has preempted the court by paying the funds into some private accounts, belonging to APC LGA chairmen, which it said have been sacked by bot the federal high court and Court of Appeal.
The union accused the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, the Minister of Finance, and the Accountant General of the Federation of performing illegal act by paying the said funds into the said accounts despite pending court cases on the matter, describing the act as an abuse of power.
Dr Ogungbangbe said, “Today, we have it on good authority that these three principal officers of the Federal Government have released the Osun State Local Government Councils’ allocations for the month of March, 2025 to September 2025 to the illegal bank accounts opened by court-sacked APC chairmen and councilors.
“We find this development very scary and alarming. Paying local government allocations into privately opened and illegal bank accounts of politicians is unbelievable, bizarre and unprecedented in the history of public administration in Nigeria.
“These funds were paid to the accounts opened by these APC men with United Bank for Africa despite the fact that due process was not followed in opening the said accounts.
“We strongly believe that if these three principal officers of the Federal Government and the entire Federal Government which they represent do not have respect for our constitution, which they have sworn to uphold, they ought to have respect for our judicial authorities, more particularly the Supreme Court of Nigeria, before whom the suit in respect of these funds is currently pending.
“It is on record that the Federal High Court of Nigeria on 15thMay, 2025 ordered parties to maintain status quo, an order which has been acknowledged by the Central Bank of Nigeria as hindering them from making payment. It is public knowledge that the Federal High Court is to further sit on this matter on 29/09/2025.
The state NULGE President said the federal government officials acted in the violation of the nation’s law, saying the manner the issue has been handle so far, is an indication that they have no respect for the rule of law, adding that the courts have already sacked APC Chairmen and councils in the 30 LGAs, stressing that the federal government is inviting chaos in the state.
According to him, “It is worrisome that these officers and the Federal Authorities, which they represent, do not have respect for the authority of the courts. We wish to remind them that a country that does not have respect for its own judicial authorities is digging its own grave.
“We are not politicians, but our work as career officers who are expected to protect the assets of the councils is directly impacted by this illegal action of the Federal Government. There are existing bank accounts of the 30 local governments in various commercial banks. What informed the opening of the UBA accounts by the APC politicians in the names of the 30 local governments in Osun State, with the active support of the Attorney General of the Federation?
“This is supposed to be a democracy and we insist on the Rule of Law. The Attorney-General cannot assume the role of the Supreme Court by setting aside the judgment of the Court of Appeal, which affirmed the sacking of the APC politicians by the Federal High Court. The Attorney-General is not above the law.
“We wish to state unequivocally that the alternative to the rule of law is what we do not want for our state. On our part, we appeal to all the people of the state not to give the enemies of the state any room to cause crisis in the state. Their ultimate goal is to cause anarchy and use it to call on Mr President to declare a state of emergency in the state so that they could have access to our resources.”
Meanwhile, the state chapter of the APC has rebuffed the Union, accusing them of misinterpreting what the court said on the matter. The funds were paid into legitimate account, the party said in a statement by Kola Olabisi, the party’s Director of Media and Information.
Discover more from The Source
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
