The Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Osun State chapter, has accused top federal government officials of unlawfully diverting the state’s local government allocations into illegal accounts.
Speaking at a press conference in Osogbo on Sunday, the state NULGE President, Dr. Nathaniel Ogungbangbe, alleged that the Minister of Finance, the Accountant-General of the Federation, and the Attorney-General of the Federation had released Osun’s council allocations for March to September 2025 into bank accounts operated by sacked All Progressives Congress (APC) chairmen and councilors.
“We have it on good authority that these principal officers of the federal government have released Osun State Local Government Councils’ allocations into illegal accounts opened by court-sacked APC officials. Paying public funds into such accounts is bizarre, unbelievable, and unprecedented in Nigeria’s public administration,” Ogungbangbe said.
He claimed that the accounts were opened with United Bank for Africa (UBA) without following due process, stressing that the action violated both constitutional provisions and judicial pronouncements.
According to him, the Federal High Court had on May 15, 2025, ordered all parties to maintain the status quo pending determination of the matter, an order acknowledged by the Central Bank of Nigeria in court filings. He added that the case was scheduled to continue on September 29, 2025.
“It is worrisome that these federal officers and the authorities they represent do not respect the courts. A country that disregards its own judiciary is digging its own grave,” he stated.
The union noted that both the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal had sacked the APC chairmen and councilors, and fresh elections had since produced new leaders. Ogungbangbe insisted that the Attorney-General of the Federation could not override court judgments.
“This is supposed to be a democracy, and we insist on the rule of law. The Attorney-General cannot act above the law or overrule the courts,” he said.
The Osun NULGE president urged residents to remain calm and not allow “enemies of the state” to instigate violence that could lead to a declaration of emergency rule. He commended Governor Ademola Adeleke for maintaining peace and appealed to citizens to trust in the courts.
“By God’s grace, this cup shall soon pass,” he added.
