The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State has cautioned the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) against proceeding with its planned three-day sympathy strike and picketing of United Bank for Africa (UBA) branches over the lingering dispute surrounding local government allocations.
The party also called on the police and other security agencies to remain vigilant ahead of the proposed industrial action, warning that anyone responsible for a breakdown of law and order should be arrested and prosecuted.
The Osun NLC, led by its chairman, Christopher Arapasopo, had announced plans to commence the sympathy strike at midnight on Sunday, November 8, and end it on Wednesday, November 11, 2026.
The union also scheduled peaceful picketing of all UBA branches across the state from Thursday, November 12, if the dispute over local government statutory allocations remained unresolved.
Reacting in a statement issued on Tuesday, the APC Director of Media and Information, Kola Olabisi, described the proposed action as counterproductive, arguing that legal and administrative disagreements should be resolved through appropriate institutional channels.
The party maintained that labour leaders should not use industrial action or the proposed picketing of a commercial bank to create tension in the state.
It further argued that the rights of reinstated elected APC local government chairmen and councillors should not be disregarded because they belong to a different political party from the state government.
While acknowledging the responsibility of organised labour to protect workers’ salaries, pensions and allowances, the APC faulted the NLC’s approach to the allocation dispute.
The party claimed that the union had not established that local government workers were being denied or owed their salaries, pensions, allowances and other entitlements.
It also alleged that the planned strike was politically motivated and intended to influence public perception of the elected APC officials currently occupying local government offices in the state.
On the controversy surrounding the funds, the APC insisted that statutory allocations from the Federation Account belonged to the respective local government areas and should be administered in accordance with the principles of local government autonomy.
It cited the Supreme Court judgment on local government autonomy, arguing that the allocations were intended to strengthen grassroots administration and development rather than be subjected to political pressure.
The party urged the NLC to remain impartial and concentrate on workers’ welfare and respect for the rule of law.
It also called on the national leadership of the labour union to intervene and persuade its Osun State chapter to reconsider the planned industrial action.
The dispute over local government allocations has continued to generate tension in Osun State, with labour organisations demanding the release of funds meant for the councils, while the APC maintains that the matter should be resolved through lawful administrative and institutional processes.
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