Union Accuses Fed Govt Of Illegality Over Release Of Osun Council Funds

Osun State chapter of Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) has accused the federal government and its officials, the minister of finance, accountant-general of the federation and the attorney-general and minister of justice of Illegality in the release of local government funds to alleged illegal political functionaries in the state.

The chairman of Osun NULGE, Dr Nathaniel Ogungbangbe, who confirmed the release of six months’ local government allocations to the political functionaries elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), described the actions as illegal and vowed that his members would continue to stay at home.

Ogungbangbe contended that it is on record that the Federal High Court of Nigeria on 15th May 2025 ordered parties to maintain the status quo, an order which he said the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has acknowledged as hindering them from making payment. He added that it is in public knowledge that the Federal High Court will further sit on the matter on 29th September 2025.
His words: “We find this development very scary and alarming. Paying local government allocations into privately opened and illegal bank accounts for politicians is unbelievable, bizarre, and unprecedented in Nigeria’s public administration history.

“These funds were paid to the accounts opened by these APC men with United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, even though due process was not followed in opening the accounts.

“We strongly believe that if these three Principal Officers of the Federal Government and the entire Federal Government which they represent do not have respect for our Constitution, which they have sworn to uphold, they ought to have respect for our Judicial Authorities, more particularly the Supreme Court of Nigeria, before whom the suit in respect of these funds is currently pending”

Ogungbangbe, who disassociated his union from Illegality, insisted on the rule of law, adding that the judgments of both the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal have removed politicians from Local Governments.

While urging Osun local government workers to exercise patience, he called on President Bola Tinubu not to allow illegality to thrive during his administration.