Despite the resumption of members of the Osun State chapter of the National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) after nearly a year of strike, career heads in the local governments have not been working with the council officials elected under the All Progressives Congress (APC) platform.
OSUN DEFENDER reports that Osun NULGE leadership on December 30, 2025, directed its members to resume work from January 5, 2026, bringing to an end an 11-month-long strike that paralysed activities across local government secretariats in the state.
A statement signed by the Osun NULGE President, Dr Nathaniel Ogungbangbe, said the decision followed “a series of security council meetings to deliberate on security guarantees and the successful resumption of work at the grassroots.”
It would be recalled that activities at local government secretariats across Osun State were grounded on February 17, 2025, when the union directed its members to withdraw their services due to the crisis that erupted following the Court of Appeal judgement.
NULGE said the action was taken to prevent its members from becoming victims of a power tussle involving chairmen elected during the October 15, 2022 local government elections conducted under the administration of former Governor Adegboyega Oyetola and the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party in the state.
The workers who stayed at home for 11 months returned on January 05. However, the resumption was marred with allegations and counter-allegations by the APC council chairmen and the Osun NULGE leadership over alleged theft of official documents.
While the APC council chairmen announced that three local government staff were apprehended while allegedly attempting to remove documents from secretariats, the NULGE leadership denied the allegation and accused the APC council officials of harassing the local government workers.
The suspects were reportedly arrested at Boluwaduro Local Government headquarters in Otan Ayegbaju and Egbedore LGA Secretariat in Awo.
Also, the lawmaker representing Ede North, Ede South, Egbedore and Ejigbo Federal Constituency, Bamidele Salam, condemned the alleged harassment, unlawful detention, and public humiliation of one of the local government workers who was arrested.
Salam describes the role of the Nigerian Police Force in the incident as shameful, despicable, and a gross violation of the constitution.
Meanwhile, OSUN DEFENDER reliably gathered that since the workers resumed work, the relationship between the APC council chairmen and the heads of local government administration has been frosty.
Sources in some of the local governments in the state described the relationship between the political heads and the local government career officers as hostile.
A source in a local government in Osun Central who does not want his name in print for fear of attack, said the duo in his council area have not been exchanging correspondence.
He also said that what transpired between the APC chairmen and local government workers on the day of resumption further strained the relationship between the political office holders and local government staff.
He said, “The relationship has not been good and it may be like this for some time. Our leader is not working with the council chairman. Everyone is just coming to work and closing at the end of the day.
“The arrest and humiliation of some local government workers by the APC chairmen also contributed to the situation. We are standing in solidarity with our people and there are some workers who still feel that the council officials are imposing themselves here.
“The chairman and his people have not been exchanging correspondence. It is just like a cat-and-mouse relationship. We resumed back to work but I can’t say things are going as normal in our council.”
An aide to one of the APC chairmen in a local government at Osun West Senatorial District while speaking with OSUN DEFENDER under condition of anonymity, said the lack of local government allocations might be the reason for the inactive relationship between the duo.
“You know the local governments cannot access the allocation due to the ongoing court cases between the state government and the APC chairmen. I think this is the reason why there has been less communication and work between the chairman and the leadership of the council.
“There is little to do now that we don’t have the money. It is only when we have full access to our allocations that work will begin and everyone will be involved. Mr Chairman and the head of administration have a good relationship and they will continue to do so,” the aide said.de said.
Kazeem Badmus is a graduate of Mass Communication with years of experience. A professional in journalism and media writing, Kazeem prioritses accuracy and factual reportage of issues. He is also a dexterous finder of the truth with conscious delivery of unbiased and development oriented stories.
