Osun

Months After Endorsing Tinubu, Adeleke’s Aides, Supporters Lash Out at President

ByHafsoh Isiaq

PublishedSeptember 29, 2025

Fume Over Release of Council Funds To APC Chairmen

The political atmosphere in Osun State is currently charged following the controversial release of local government funds to the sacked All Progressives Congress (APC) chairmen by the Federal Government.

‎The development has not only stirred outrage among the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state but also exposed cracks in Governor Ademola Adeleke’s earlier alliance with President Bola Tinubu.

‎OSUN DEFENDER reports that this situation is coming just three months after Adeleke and Osun PDP publicly endorsed Tinubu for a second term in 2027 with key supporters of the Governor taking to social media to lash out at the President.

Top among the ‘sudden’ critics of the President is PDP stalwart, Akintunde Bello Sheriff. Sheriff accused Tinubu of “pretentious moralism,” alleging that he authorised the diversion of council allocations into private accounts of APC members removed by the courts.

‎Venting his anger in a Facebook post on Monday, Sheriff described the move as “a brazen abuse of power,” particularly as the matter remains before the Supreme Court.

‎He wrote: “Bola Tinubu is a pretentious moralist and pseudo democrat. Everything he accused Obasanjo of, he has demonstrated to be worse off. The Supreme Court dissolved LCDAs yet elections were conducted into LCDAs at his backyard in Lagos.

“Yet the toothless AGF said nothing and did nothing in the face of the constitutional override. Come down to Osun State, the same Tinubu has allegedly authorised payment of public funds into private pockets of his party members who have since been sacked from the courts.

‎”To imagine that this brazen action happened during the pendency of subject litigation before the Supreme Court of Nigeria makes it alarming. In the belief of an average Nigerian Tinubu is an anathema to Democracy.

‎”Obasanjo was President. Late Yaradua was President. Jonathan was President. Late Buhari was President and they all are not barren. Non really abdicated state powers to their Sons. Seyi Tinubu follows his father everywhere almost on all official missions and you will wonder if we are running family governance in the country.

“There was a time the President’s son even was seen at the Federal Executive Council chamber where the FEC was holding a meeting. Unarguably; Tinubu has taken democratic gains in Nigeria downwardly. The military was nicer sadly.”

‎Osun State PDP Director of Media, Oladele Bamiji stated that members of the APC in the state are threatening Osun with a state of emergency due to fresh criticisms of the Tinubu led federal government.

‎He branded the administration an “agbero government” with little respect for democratic principles.

‎”Mr President must not be criticised for whatever wrongdoing, the next thing is state of emergency loading….. Ori yin o daa with your agbero government mentality,” he wrote.

‎The verbal attack further reinforced concerns earlier raised by the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Osun chapter.

‎OSUN DEFENDER reported tthat NULGE in a statement on Sunday accused top federal officials including the Minister of Finance, Accountant-General of the Federation, and Attorney-General of the Federation of illegally paying allocations from March to September into accounts opened by the dismissed APC chairmen and councillors.

NULGE condemned the act as “bizarre and unprecedented” in Nigeria’s democratic history.

‎Also, the Osun PDP, through its chairman, Hon. Sunday Bisi, weighed in, describing the alleged diversion as “the greatest heist in Nigeria’s history.”

‎The party challenged the APC to publish the details of the accounts and signatories that received the allocations, stressing that neither statutory council officers nor state financial authorities were aware of the transactions.‎

‎But in a swift reaction, the APC dismissed the accusations, branding the PDP’s claims as propaganda and insisting the funds were legitimately accessed.

‎The unfolding drama has deepened political tensions in Osun, raising questions about Adeleke’s political alignment with Tinubu ahead of the 2026 governorship race and the 2027 presidential election.

Hafsoh Isiaq

Hafsoh Isiaq is a graduate of Linguistics. An avid writer committed to creative, high-quality research and news reportage. She has considerable experience in writing and reporting across a variety of platforms including print and online.