Politics
Osun Govt Denies Forcing Council Officers to Change Account Signatories Amid Political Tussle
Osun Govt Denies Forcing Council Officers to Change Account Signatories Amid Political Tussle
The Osun State Government has dismissed allegations that it is coercing career officers in local governments to alter signatories to council accounts amid the ongoing power struggle between the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) over local government control.
The Chairman of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) in Osun, Mr. Adewale Adebayo, alleged that Governor Ademola Adeleke’s administration was pressuring Finance Directors and Heads of Local Administration (HLAs) to make unauthorized changes to council accounts.
“We reliably gathered that Adeleke’s government has started taking 30 Local Government Area Finance Directors and Heads of Local Administration to an undisclosed location forcefully. This is unconnected to the contention over who controls the local government,” Adebayo claimed.
He further alleged that these officials were being detained and pressured into changing signatories to align with the newly elected officials, an act he described as undemocratic and a violation of the rule of law. Adebayo also referenced judicial pronouncements from the Court of Appeal that upheld the October 15, 2022, council election, asserting that the state government’s actions contradict the verdict.
However, Osun State Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, swiftly refuted the claims, dismissing them as “mere speculation.”
“This is just an attempt to create a false narrative. The Commissioner for Local Government has confirmed that he never issued such a directive. They are only trying to stir unnecessary controversy,” Alimi stated.
“We have never changed any local government account signatories. APM is just crying more than the bereaved,” he added.
Meanwhile, the APC in Osun has urged local government workers to return to their duty posts, emphasizing that they must remain neutral in the ongoing political tussle. Jamiu Olawumi, a former Special Adviser on Education under ex-Governor Adegboyega Oyetola, stated that the reinstated local government chairmen had issued a 72-hour ultimatum for workers to resume.
However, the Osun chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) rejected the directive, with Chairman Christopher Arapasopo insisting that workers would only return when their security was guaranteed.
Despite the NLC’s stance, Olawumi maintained that workers were expected to resume, noting that chairmen and councillors had already resumed work.
“It is quite unfortunate that they (workers) are becoming partisan. They need to understand that they are not employed by the state government but by individual local governments. That is why they have Heads of Local Government Administration,” Olawumi stated.
“We encourage them to eschew partisanship and focus on their work. The ultimatum lapses today (Wednesday), and we expect them to resume tomorrow (Thursday). If they don’t, we will continue persuading them,” he added.
Efforts to reach NLC Chairman Arapasopo for comment were unsuccessful, as calls to his phone did not go through, and he had yet to respond to text messages at press time.
Amid the controversy, an Osun-based civil society group, The Osun Masterminds, has called for a return to the courts to resolve the dispute.
Speaking in Osogbo, the Executive Director of the group, Prof. Wasiu Oyedokun-Alli, urged all parties to refrain from inflammatory remarks that could escalate tensions.
“All parties must immediately return to the relevant courts to clarify the subsisting judgments so that the current issues can be amicably resolved,” Oyedokun-Alli stated.
“Once clarified, all parties must respect the decision of the courts and lay the matter to rest once and for all. As we approach the 2026 Osun gubernatorial election, all parties must demonstrate their commitment to peace and security. If this crisis escalates into next year, it could destabilize our once peaceful Osun State.
“Local government staff must remain non-partisan and adhere to the rule of law to avoid becoming political tools in the hands of any party,” he concluded.
*Renewed Hope Ambassadors Step Into the Next Phase
Fresh from the successful APC 2026 National Convention, the Renewed Hope Ambassadors National, Zonal, and State leadership gathered in Abuja over the weekend, for its fourth strategic meeting, setting the tone for nationwide grassroots activation ahead of 2027.
Chaired by Governor Hope Uzodinma (Imo State) the Director General and National Coordinator of the Renewed Hope Ambassadors, alongside Deputy Director-General, Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State, and Governor Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State as Secretary, the session reinforced one clear direction: One Party. One Message. One Mobilization whilst also laying out a strategic roadmap for the activation of the network across all communities in Nigeria.
Backed by the strength of 31 APC-led states, the Renewed Hope Agenda is taking Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s message of progress and reform to every corner of Nigeria.
From bold economic restructuring to initiatives like NELFUND, the increase in the national minimum wage from ₦30,000 to ₦70,000, and strategic investments in critical sectors, including PNiCGI, the mission remains clear: helping Nigerians understand both the purpose and the progress of the Renewed Hope vision.
This is coordination at scale. This is grassroots engagement with purpose. This is the next phase of Renewed Hope with One Party, One Message, and One Mobilisation framework
#RenewedHopeAmbassadors #APC #WeAreAPC
Governor Bago Inaugurates APC Digital Media Sub-Committee Ahead of National Convention.
Governor Umaru Bago has inaugurated the Digital Media Sub-Committee for the forthcoming National Convention of the All Progressives Congress (APC), scheduled to hold on March 27 and 28, 2026 in Abuja.
Chairing the sub-committee, Governor Bago tasked members with the responsibility of effectively communicating the party’s manifesto to the public.
He emphasized the need to leverage social media platforms to highlight the achievements and ongoing efforts of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, noting that communication gaps have posed challenges that must now be decisively addressed.
The Co-Chair of the sub-committee, Hon. Benjamin Kalu, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, echoed the Governor’s position, urging members to project the activities of both the party and the government to a broader audience.
He called for a deliberate and coordinated effort to showcase the party’s achievements and policy direction, stressing the importance of shaping a compelling and consistent narrative across all digital platforms.
Delivering a presentation to the committee, Otega Ogra, SSA to the President on New Media, who serves as Secretary of the sub-committee, outlined strategic focus areas to guide the team’s operations.
His presentation highlighted communication priorities and actionable steps to achieve the committee’s mandate and strengthen the party’s digital engagement.
VP Shettima Set to Lead Delegation to Zamfara as Governor Dauda Lawal Formally Joins APC
The Zamfara State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has finalized plans to receive Vice President Kashim Shettima for the formal defection and reception of Governor Dauda Lawal into the ruling party, scheduled to take place on Tuesday.
State APC Chairman, Tukur Danfulani Maikatako, disclosed this during a high-level stakeholders’ meeting held in Gusau, the state capital. He noted that the Vice President would be joined by the party’s national leadership to mark what he described as a landmark political realignment in the state.
Maikatako expressed the party’s excitement over Governor Lawal’s return, recalling that Zamfara had historically been an APC stronghold and that the Governor was previously a bona fide member of the party before his earlier exit.
“We all know that Zamfara has long been one of the APC’s stronghold states, where the defected Governor was once a bona fide member. Now that he has decided to return home, having been satisfied that the APC remains his second choice after the one he left for obvious reasons,” Maikatako stated.
The Chairman called on all party faithful across the 147 wards in the state’s 14 local government areas to turn out en masse to honour the Vice President’s visit. He emphasized that the event was strategically positioned to bolster the party’s popularity and strengthen its structures ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In a strong appeal for unity, Maikatako urged members to set aside all factional tendencies, stressing that the APC remained one political family with shared goals, particularly the ambition to make Zamfara and Nigeria great again.
Echoing similar sentiments, a former state APC Chairman, Lawal M. Liman, appealed to members to cascade the message to their wards and local government areas. He reinforced the need for cohesion, noting that the party’s collective strength would be critical to achieving success in future elections.
All eyes are now on Gusau as the ruling party prepares for a high-profile political gathering expected to further consolidate its influence in Zamfara State.
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