Osun APC, PDP, and NULGE Clash Over Alleged Diversion of Local Government Funds

The Osun State chapter of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), the All Progressives Congress (APC), and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have clashed over allegations of illegal diversion of local government funds and conflicting interpretations of court judgments on council allocations.

Addressing journalists in Osogbo on Sunday, NULGE accused key federal government officials of abuse of power and disregard for court rulings in the handling of Osun’s statutory allocations.

The union alleged that the Minister of Finance, the Accountant-General of the Federation, and the Attorney-General of the Federation authorised the release of allocations from March to September 2025 into accounts opened by APC chairmen and councillors who were sacked by the courts.

According to the union, the funds were paid into United Bank for Africa (UBA) accounts despite existing court orders and the presence of legitimate local government accounts managed by career officers.

“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,” NULGE said in its statement.

The union maintained that both the Federal High Court and Court of Appeal had effectively removed the APC chairmen and councillors, stressing that the Attorney-General lacked the authority to overturn appellate decisions.

It warned that undermining judicial authority could destabilise the state and accused political actors of plotting to create conditions for a possible state of emergency.

Despite its concerns, NULGE urged residents to remain calm and continue to support Governor Ademola Adeleke’s administration.

In a swift response, the APC dismissed NULGE’s claims as “a pack of lies and deliberate misrepresentation” designed to serve partisan interests.

In a statement signed by its Director of Media and Information, Kola Olabisi, the party accused NULGE leaders of acting as mouthpieces for the PDP.

“It is not the duty of NULGE to interpret any court judgment. The Court of Appeal judgment of 10 February 2025, which reinstated the APC local government chairmen and councillors, remains valid as there is no record that it has been appealed,” the APC said.

The party denied that allocations were deposited into personal accounts of its members, insisting that funds were paid directly into local government council accounts.

It also warned the union against misleading workers and urged security agencies to remain vigilant.

Reacting, the Osun PDP said the APC’s statement confirmed that the funds had been released but failed to clarify where they were lodged.

In a statement by its chairman, Sunday Bisi, the party demanded that the APC disclose the exact accounts used for the allocations and identify their signatories.

The PDP claimed that statutory officers across all 30 local governments, including the state accountant-general and the auditor-general for local governments, had no knowledge of the payments. It described the situation as indicative of diversion.

“The APC’s response amounts to an admission of crime against the people of Osun State,” the PDP said. “No amount of insults against NULGE can erase the demand for accountability.”

The ruling party further alleged that the opposition was staging what it called “the greatest heist in the history of Nigeria,” stressing that Governor Adeleke’s administration remains committed to transparency and accountability in public finance management.