• Describes action as bizarre, scary, unprecedented

The Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Osun State Chapter, has raised alarm over what it described as an “unprecedented abuse of power” by key federal government officials in the handling of the state’s local government allocations.

Speaking at a press conference in Osogbo on Sunday, the state NULGE President, Dr. Nathaniel Ogungbangbe, accused the Minister of Finance, the Accountant-General of the Federation, and the Attorney-General of the Federation of unlawfully releasing Osun’s local government funds into accounts operated by sacked All Progressives Congress (APC) chairmen and councilors.

According to him: “Today, we have it on good authority that these three principal officers of the federal government have released the Osun State Local Government Councils’ allocations for the month of March, 2025 to September, 2025 to the illegal bank accounts opened by court-sacked APC chairmen and councilors.

“We find this development very scary and alarming. Paying local government allocations into privately opened and illegal bank accounts of politicians is unbelievable, bizarre and unprecedented in the history of public administration in Nigeria.”

Dr. Ogungbangbe explained that the controversial accounts were opened with United Bank for Africa (UBA) without due process.

He continued: “These funds were paid to the accounts opened by these APC men with United Bank for Africa despite the fact that due process was not followed in opening the said accounts.”

The union leader argued that the action of the federal officers amounted to a violation of both the constitution and judicial pronouncements.

“We strongly believe that if these three principal officers of the federal government and the entire federal government which they represent do not have respect for our constitution, which they have sworn to uphold, they ought to have respect for our judicial authorities more particularly the Supreme Court of Nigeria before whom the suit in respect of these funds is currently pending.”

NULGE recalled that the Federal High Court had on May 15, 2025, ordered all parties to maintain the status quo, a directive which the Central Bank of Nigeria had acknowledged as binding in their court filings.

“It is on record that the Federal High Court of Nigeria on 15th May, 2025 ordered parties to maintain status quo, an order which has been acknowledged by the Central Bank of Nigeria as hindering them from making payment.

“It is public knowledge that the Federal High Court is to further sit on this matter on 29/09/2025. It is worrisome that these officers and the federal authorities, which they represent, do not have respect for the authority of the courts.

“We wish to remind them that a country that does not have respect for its own judicial authorities is digging its own grave.”

The Osun NULGE president stressed that both the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal had sacked the APC chairmen and councilors, while new elections had already produced fresh leaders.

“We are not politicians, but our work as career officers who are expected to protect the assets of the councils is directly impacted by this illegal action of the federal government.

“There are existing bank accounts of the 30 local governments in various commercial banks. What informed the opening of the UBA accounts by the APC politicians in the names of the 30 local governments in Osun State, with the active support of the Attorney General of the Federation?”

Dr. Ogungbangbe further warned against undermining the rule of law, insisting that the Attorney-General of the Federation could not overrule the courts.

“This is supposed to be a democracy and we insist on the RULE OF LAW. We cannot be expected to work with politicians who have been sacked by competent courts of law but are being imposed on our state by the Attorney General.

“The Attorney-General cannot assume the role of the Supreme Court by setting aside the judgment of the Court of Appeal, which affirmed the sacking of the APC politicians by the Federal High Court. The Attorney-General is NOT above the law.”

Calling for calm in Osun, the union urged residents not to allow “enemies of the state” to incite violence that could justify a declaration of emergency rule.

“We wish to state unequivocally that the alternative to the rule of law is what we do not want for our state. On our part, we appeal to all the good people of Osun State not to give the enemies of the state any room to cause crisis in the state.

“Their ultimate goal is to cause anarchy and use it to call on Mr. President to declare a state of emergency in the state so that they could have access to our resources.

“We appeal to Mr. Governor to continue to ensure absolute peace in the state as he is excellently doing. Let all of us have faith in the Almighty God and our courts. By His special grace, this cup shall soon pass.” (THISDAY)