The verbal war over the management of local government funds in Osun State has intensified, as Dr Bolaji Akinola, an aide to the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola, took a swipe at Governor Ademola Adeleke. In a strongly worded reaction, Akinola accused the governor of using propaganda and deliberate misinformation to hide what he called administrative failure and a blatant disregard for the law.
The conflict stems from recent claims made by the Adeleke administration regarding the supposed withholding of local government allocations. However, according to details shared with Reports, Akinola dismissed these outbursts as a desperate attempt by the governor to shift blame. He argued that any delays or complications in the disbursement of funds are the direct result of the state government’s own actions, specifically its decision to file multiple lawsuits in a bid to overturn established court rulings.
One of the major points of contention is the current state of the local government councils. While the governor’s camp has suggested that the local administrations are paralyzed, Akinola insisted this is far from the truth. He pointed out that the council secretariats are fully open, with workers at their desks and statutory services being provided to the people. He characterized the governor’s narrative as a fictional attempt to win public sympathy.
The legal dimension of the crisis is equally messy. Akinola referenced a Court of Appeal judgment from February 2025 which reinstated the elected local government chairmen. He noted that since the state government did not appeal that ruling, it remains the law of the land. He further reminded the public of the 2024 Supreme Court verdict that granted full financial autonomy to local governments, effectively barring governors from dissolving elected councils or installing hand-picked caretaker committees.
Regarding the tenure of the current council leaders, the Minister’s aide clarified that the chairmen were originally elected for a three-year term but were removed shortly after taking office. He maintained that any argument suggesting their time has expired is based on misinformation, noting that the matter of their tenure is currently being settled in court.
Akinola also addressed allegations that his boss, Oyetola, was exerting influence over the Nigeria Police to harass the state government. He described such claims as irresponsible, explaining that the police operate under a clear institutional command that cannot be hijacked by an individual minister. He urged the governor to move past what he called “governance by theater” and face the legal reality that the local governments in Osun are now autonomous and protected by the courts.
