The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State has strongly criticized the state's Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for petitioning international bodies over alleged disobedience of court orders regarding local government allocations, describing the action as a waste of time and misleading to diplomatic and global human rights organizations.
In a press statement issued on Monday by Kola Olabisi, the Osun APC Director of Media and Information, the party responded to allegations made by Osun PDP chairman, Sunday Bisi, who claimed that Attorney General Lateef Fagbemi and Marine and Blue Economy Minister Adegboyega Oyetola were complicit in withholding funds due to local governments in the state.
According to the PDP's allegations, both federal ministers were "plotting and executing the current local government crisis in Osun State through deliberate disobedience of a Court of Appeal judgment recognizing PDP-elected local government chairmen and councillors."
The APC countered these claims, stating: "It is a pity that the Osun PDP could expose itself to the diplomatic community claiming local government allocations are being withheld when nothing of such is happening."
The ruling party urged international bodies to disregard what it termed as "rantings," maintaining that the Court of Appeal's ruling of February 10, 2025, had actually reinstated APC local government chairmen and councillors, not PDP officials.
"The true owners of the funds are in the process of collecting their allocations. No one is withholding them," the APC statement emphasized, while questioning why the PDP had refused to appeal the judgment if they truly believed in their case.
"Why is the PDP withdrawing litigation from the Supreme Court if it believes in its case?" the APC asked, referring to a Supreme Court ruling that granted unconditional autonomy to local governments and accusing the PDP of acting as a "meddlesome interloper."
The APC further alleged financial mismanagement by the state government, claiming it is indebted by N84 billion, funds allegedly collected fraudulently from local government councils.
In a pointed critique of the PDP's approach to the dispute, the APC stated: "If the PDP is convinced the ministers disobeyed court orders, the law provides a clear procedure for contempt proceedings, not petitions to NGOs. Writing petitions to NGOs is a waste of time. They have no jurisdiction. The PDP knows it has no case."
The dispute highlights ongoing tensions between the two major political parties in Osun State over control of local government resources and administration, with both sides claiming legal legitimacy for their positions.
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