Politics
Osun Assembly Reaffirms Support for PDP Elected Chairmen, Labels APC Counterparts as Impostors
The Osun State House of Assembly has reaffirmed its recognition of the local government chairmen and councillors elected on February 22, 2025, under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), declaring that individuals claiming authority based on the annulled October 15, 2022, elections are impostors.
The position of the Assembly was contained in a resolution passed during Thursday’s plenary session, presided over by the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Adewale Egbedun.
The lawmakers condemned ongoing attempts by certain political actors to destabilise local governance in the state, describing the activities of the All Progressives Congress (APC) “self-acclaimed” chairmen as illegal and a calculated move to defraud the people.
The resolution, which was read on the floor of the Assembly, stated:
“Having deliberated extensively on the status of local government administration in Osun State, and in line with Section 7(1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), this Honourable House reaffirms the exclusive recognition of the February 22, 2025, democratically elected Local Government Chairmen and Councillors.”
The House also condemned the occupation of local government secretariats by individuals whose tenure derived from the nullified October 15, 2022, elections and rejected claims of their reinstatement by the Court of Appeal as “unconstitutional, null and void.”
Other key points in the resolution include:
Only the February 22, 2025, elected officials are the constitutionally recognised custodians of local government authority in Osun.
No parallel structures or appointees imposed by unauthorised persons shall be acknowledged in the management of local government accounts.
The Assembly criticised the Central Bank of Nigeria (Osun State branch) for allegedly attempting to operate LG accounts using individuals “whose Certificates of Return were withdrawn by OSSIEC and whose elections were nullified.”
It reaffirmed that only appointed career officers—specifically the Director of Finance and the Director of Administration and General Services—are lawful signatories to LG accounts, as outlined in Section 14.0 of the 2025 Guidelines for Local Government Administration in Osun.
All account confirmations must be jointly signed by the Head of Local Government Administration and the duly elected Chairman.
Any substitution of these authorised officers constitutes a breach of public finance laws and will be resisted through legal and constitutional means.
The Assembly expressed concern over the non-release of LG statutory allocations and urged the Accountant-General of the Federation and the Minister of Finance to immediately disburse outstanding funds through lawful LG accounts.
It also warned against any unauthorised approach to the Central Bank regarding LG funds, describing such actions as breaches of constitutional financial architecture.
The House concluded by vowing to enforce its resolutions through “legal, legislative, and constitutional means, including litigation,” to protect the integrity and autonomy of local government administration in the state.
