While residents of Osun State continue to suffer the consequences of the imbroglio pervading local government administration in the state, political actors are resolute in their desired goal of having the soul of the State of the Living Spring.
For over seven months now, local government administration has gone comatose as a result of the struggle for power between the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the leading opposition to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.
In an attempt to stay afloat, politicians from the two parties dragged in legal luminaries to adjudicate, labour unions, security agencies, traditional rulers, religious leaders, institutions such as banks at various levels, and others to be part of the struggle for survival.
The lingering crisis dated back to the twilight exit of the then governor of the state, who, despite confrontations from various quarters, conducted local government elections in which only the then ruling party, APC, participated on October 15, 2022.
The then governor, Adegboyega Oyetola, swore in the political functionaries into office and took his exit from the governance of Osun State following his defeat at the polls by the PDP candidate, Ademola Adeleke.
Contrary to the belief in some quarters that Adeleke sent the elected local government functionaries packing on assumption of duty, it was the outcome of a suit filed by a political party, the All Peoples Party (APP), which may have been instigated that sent them out of office.
Governor Ademola Adeleke subsequently conducted local government elections, though also confronted by the APC and labelled a fruitless exercise on February 22, 2025, in which all the seats at the chairmen and councillorship levels were won solely by members of the PDP.
Following the violence that greeted the resumption of the acclaimed reinstated political functionaries, Governor Ademola Adeleke directed the newly sworn-in chairmen and councillors not to report to their offices, and NULGE directed its members to stay at home to avoid being caught in the web of perceived violence between the feuding political parties.
Meanwhile, the lingering legal tussles that have abounded till today continued without a solution that can put smiles on the faces of the people of Osun.
Hence, residents could not access local governments for basic needs that could assist their livelihoods, such as obtaining local government identification papers, affidavits, and even physical facilities or domicile with local governments.
Yet the warring parties held on to the interpretation of judgement that favours them, while the APC insisted that the judgement of the Court of Appeal sitting in Akure that upturned that of the Federal High Court Osogbo reinstated them.
The PDP insisted that the judgement of the case instituted by APP that sent the APC chairmen and councillors packing was not appealed but subsisting till date.
The roforofo war pitched brothers against brothers, organisations against organisations. For example, in Osun State today, there are two Associations of Local Government Workers, ALGON, one headed by Sarafadeen Awotunde and the other by Abiodun Idowu, both claiming authority over local government across the state.
We have the Association of Concerned Local Government Workers led by Comrade Adedayo Adekunle, the National Union of Local Government Employees, NULGE, under their president, Dr Nathaniel Ogungbangbe, who had at various times deviated from their primary functions of championing the welfare of workers to interpretation of court orders in an apparent bid to support their preferred parties.
The Concerned Muslims Stakeholders and League of Imams conflicted with the League of Imams and Alfas, calling them names, all in an attempt to fight the cause of the political party they supported.
Others include the involvement of traditional rulers, the State House of Assembly, Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) involvement, sole interpretation of orders of courts by constitutional lawyers, involvement of security agencies to calm nerves, the Apex Bank, and a Commercial bank all dragged in one way or another all in an attempt to have the soul of Osun.
The height of the matter is the recent release of local government allocations to local governments under the APC-controlled political functionaries by the federal government based on the conviction that they are the legally constituted authority.
This singular act has continued to generate fresh heat; it has led to fresh legal tussles, and the anticipated hustling and bustling that was expected to come to local governments in the state remained elusive.
To stem the trend of calls on President Bola Tinubu to declare a state of emergency in Osun over the logjam and attendant violence shortly after the purported reinstatement, Governor Ademola maintained his calm and made sure that there was no infraction with the presidency.
He ensured that the directed local government political functionaries on his party platform complied with his stay-at-home directive to avoid physical conflicts that could degenerate to violence.
His goodwill with the state workforce helped him to win the sympathy and loyalty of NULGE in Osun State and beyond.
Despite not working for seven months by the Osun State local government workforce, Governor Adeleke continued to pay their salaries and did not fail in the payment of retirement benefits and periodic release of funds for payment of gratuity, which endeared him to the umbrella labour union, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).
Adeleke, in a bid to retain the soul of Osun, made an attempt to join the federal government-controlled party, the APC, in his state, but his move was confronted headlong by the state APC gladiators and had to stomach his intention along the line.
Unconcerned about who has the soul of Osun, a resident, Mr Aderemi Adejumobi, begged the two warring parties to sheathe their sword and resolve the issue to move the state forward.
He contended that people are suffering the consequences of their actions, adding that many people could not access the services rendered by the local government.
A local government official who spoke on condition of anonymity lamented the effect of the logjam on workers, adding that though the local government service commission is open for business, the prerequisite needs of staff going on retirement are not being met.
The official said, “Local government workers who are due for study release are watching helplessly, and the local government cooperative loans that usually serve as relief for members in times of need cannot be accessed.”
She further lamented the loss of revenue by governments in the form of tax and tolls collections, revenue from services such as marriages in local government registries, among others.
With no end in sight, pundits think that unless the issue at hand is resolved promptly, contending parties may continue their fight for the soul of the state, and the masses would be at the receiving end.
