By Thomas Abidoye
The Osun State chapters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) have traded words over the reported release of withheld federal allocations meant for local government councils in the state.
The PDP, in a statement signed by its chairman, Hon. Sunday Bisi, on Sunday , said it noted the APC’s admission that the funds had been released.
The ruling party in the state challenged the APC to disclose the specific accounts into which the allocations were paid and reveal the signatories to those accounts.
According to the PDP, statutory officers across the 30 local governments, including the state accountant general, the auditor-general for local governments, and the Ministry of Local Government Affairs, were unaware of any payments.
The party alleged that the situation suggested diversion of the funds and described the APC’s response as an “admission of crime against the people of Osun State.”
The PDP also insisted that hurling insults at the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) could not erase the demand for accountability.
It urged the APC to provide details of the transactions or risk being accused of staging what it described as “the greatest heist in the history of Nigeria.”
Hon. Bisi reaffirmed that under Governor Ademola Adeleke, transparency and accountability would remain guiding principles in managing public resources, stressing that no amount of blackmail would derail the administration.
In its response, the APC dismissed allegations that the allocations were paid into private accounts.
The party, in a statement signed by its spokesperson, Kola Olabisi, insisted that the funds were deposited directly into the accounts of local government councils.
The APC accused NULGE of twisting court judgments to favor the ruling PDP. It referenced the Court of Appeal judgment of February 10, 2025, which reinstated APC’s local government chairmen and councillors, noting that the judgment had not been overturned by any higher court.
The party criticized NULGE for what it called “a series of lies” about the allocations, stating that its members of the public were not deceived. It added that the union had been on “sympathy strike” with Governor Adeleke for seven months to shield the government from questions over the funds.
The APC called on security agencies, including the police, the Department of State Services, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, to ensure vigilance in safeguarding the interests of the people. It also urged NULGE to desist from actions capable of undermining the rule of law in the state.