Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke has urged for the immediate release of over ₦130 billion that has been withheld from local government councils. He voiced his concern that this delay is hindering the effective operation of local governments, leading to challenges for both employees and residents in the state.

In a speech delivered on Monday, which was disseminated by his spokesperson, Mallam Olawale Rasheed, the governor pointed out that certain officials from the All Progressives Congress (APC) are illegally retaining their positions in local government offices. These officials were ousted from their positions by a court ruling, yet they have managed to cling to power for almost a year in defiance of this decision.

Governor Adeleke said, “The court is the one that took them out, not my administration,” noting that his government is simply following the court’s orders. He also discussed how new elections for local government positions were held to implement these court decisions, and the newly elected officials were sworn in on February 23, 2023.

He plans to deal with the current problem of people in the council secretariats, calling them “impostors” who don’t have the legal right to represent the citizens.

Adeleke is expected to address the concerns regarding the former governor, Gboyega Oyetola, and his alleged involvement in keeping certain local government officials in their positions, with support from the Nigeria Police Force. This situation raises significant concerns about the state of democracy and the rule of law in the region.

During his speech, Adeleke will likely share troubling reports of local government workers facing intimidation and threats from armed police officers and political enforcers when they attempt to return to their jobs. This has created a frightening and chaotic environment at the local level.

Governor will also address the issue of missing local government funds. Since February 2025, around ₦130 billion that should have been allocated to local governments in Osun has not been released. This money is crucial for paying salaries and benefits to primary school teachers, nurses, healthcare workers in 332 health centers, council employees, traditional leaders, and retirees.

The governor will express concern regarding the necessity for the state government to take “tough sacrifices” and look for extra funding beyond the regular budget to keep salary payments going for almost a year—something he warns is not a great situation.

“Governance is fundamentally about caring for people and taking responsibility, but we can’t bear this heavy load forever,” said Governor Adeleke.

He accused the United Bank for Africa (UBA) of letting unauthorized individuals take control of local government money, which he called a serious breach of financial and legal rules.

The governor revealed that top bank officials involved in this issue are now facing criminal charges.

Adeleke expressed concern about whether such actions would be acceptable in major cities like New York or London. “Would this be allowed there?” he questioned.

He called for urgent action from the federal government, specifically asking President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene by unblocking the frozen funds and to help safeguard democracy in Osun State.

Adeleke believes that the President is not part of the wrongdoing and urged him to take decisive steps to release the local governments in Osun from what he described as an unlawful blockage.

“Our Constitution does not permit extending terms in office,” he said, highlighting that this situation presents a critical choice between following the law and engaging in obvious wrongdoing.

He also encouraged Nigerians, community organizations, and supporters of democracy to speak out against the interference in local government offices and to ensure the release of funds for councils.

The governor urged Osun residents to remain calm and obey the law, promising that his administration is dedicated to upholding the Constitution and looking after their welfare.