By OLAJIDE IDOWU

The Osun House of Assembly on Thursday called on the Federal Government to release the withheld monthly allocations due the local government areas in the state through the subsisting council accounts.

The assembly made the call while deliberating on the issue under the matter of public importance at plenary on Thursday in Osogbo.

The matter was brought up by a lawmaker, Adewumi Adeyemi (Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)-Obokun Constituency)

Adeyemi said the continued occupation of the local government secretariats by the chairmen of All Progressive Congress (APC), and the withdrawal of services by workers had rendered the council secretariats ineffective.

The lawmaker said that the APC chairmen, who were sacked by a Federal High Court, Osogbo, were making efforts to get the local government allocations through illegal means.

Similarly, Lawrence Adeoti (PDP-Ife South Constituency) described the local government crisis in the state as worrisome.

Adeoti said that APC chairmen took over the local government despite the nullification of their elections by the Federal High Court in Osogbo, with their Certificate of Return withdrawn.

After an extensive deliberation, the lawmakers passed resolutions which were read by the speaker, Mr Wale Egbedun, and unanimously adopted by the lawmakers.

One of the resolutions was that ?Only the Feb. 22 democratically-elected local government chairmen and councillors were constitutionally recognised custodians of local government mandate and affairs in the state?.

The assembly also resolved that ?No parallel structures or appointment by unauthorised individuals would be known or recognised for the alteration of local government account in the state?.

?Only duly elected career officers are authorised signatories to the council?s account, as stipulated in section 14.0 on the 2025 guidelines for the administration of local government areas in Osun State.

?The bank, confirmation and schedule shall only be valid when endorsed by the head of local government administration as the chairman, as further required by law.

?That any attempt to substitute these officers with unauthorised persons, is not only unlawful but constitutes an attempt to divert public funds and this house shall take all lawful measures to resist, report and revert such infraction?, the resolutions read.

The speaker, thereafter, ordered that the resolutions be forwarded to Gov. Ademola Adeleke of Osun.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that local government areas in the state had been in crisis following the Feb. 10 judgement by the Court of Appeal, Akure.

PDP claimed that the judgment did not reinstate the sacked APC chairmen and councillors elected in 2022, while APC insisted on their return to office.

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), thereafter, directed local government workers to withdraw their services from Feb. 17, citing security concerns. (NAN)

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