The Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Osun State chapter has asked the nation’s judiciary to be firm in handling the Osun Local Government crisis, saying it will resist attempts to rush the judicial process with vacation judges and subvert justice.
The President of NULGE, Osun State chapter, Dr. Kehinde Nathaniel Ogungbangbe, who stated this on Monday at a press conference held at the Festus Oyebade Olowogboyega NULGE Secretariat, Oke-Ijetu, Osogbo, Osun State alleged that plans were afoot to hurriedly use vacation judges to subvert justice in the lingering crisis.
Ogungbangbe whose address dwelt on, ‘Withholding Of Local Government Allocation Since February, 2025 Till Date In Osun State,’’ pointed out that, ‘’On 12th May, 2025, the Osun State government filed its case before the Federal High Court, seeking an order to protect these funds for the benefit of the people. The Court, in its wisdom, ordered all parties to maintain the status quo. Despite this clear order, we were shocked to discover that attempts were made to open accounts for those sacked officials. It took public outcry and the ruling of the Court of Appeal on 13th June, 2025, to stop this brazen act of impunity.”
According to him, there is no need for urgency over the case because defendants have been served since 16 May, 2025, yet they failed to act, saying only the Central Bank filed a late response.
He added that the funds in question belong to the local governments and by extension, to the ordinary people of the state, saying, ‘’ Hearing this matter at its originally scheduled time will not deprive our people of their money.”
‘’We, therefore, call on the judiciary to stand firm, to resist pressure and to refuse this application for vacation hearing. We call on all Nigerians to remain vigilant.’’
