Osun Govt Denies Forcing LG Officials To Change Account Signatories
The Osun State Government on Wednesday denied allegations that it is forcing local government officials to change signatories on council accounts amid an ongoing political battle between the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC).
Adewale Adebayo, Chairman of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) in Osun, accused Governor Ademola Adeleke’s administration of taking local government officials to secret locations to compel them into altering account signatories.
“We reliably gathered that Adeleke’s government has started taking 30 Local Government Area Finance Directors and Heads of Local Administration to an undisclosed location forcefully. This is unconnected to the contention over who controls the local government,” Adebayo stated.
He further alleged that the officials were being pressured into transferring control of local government funds to the newly elected officials.
“The HLAs and the Directors of Finance were taken to these locations to be pressured into changing signatories of council accounts to the newly elected officials.”
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Responding to the allegations, Osun State Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, dismissed the claims, describing them as unfounded.
“This is just an attempt to say something because the Commissioner for Local Government has confirmed that he never gave such a directive. They have made themselves look foolish in the eyes of the public, so they want to create a false narrative,” Alimi stated.
He insisted that the government had no involvement in altering local government account signatories.
“We have never changed any local government account signatories. They should remain troubled. APM is just crying more than the bereaved.”
Meanwhile, the APC in Osun has urged local government workers to resume their duties, stressing the need to stay neutral in the political conflict.
Jamiu Olawumi, a former Special Adviser on Education under ex-Governor Adegboyega Oyetola, said workers should avoid political bias.
“We encourage them to eschew partisanship and focus on their work. The ultimatum lapses today (Wednesday), and we expect them to resume tomorrow (Thursday). If they don’t, we will continue persuading them to see reasons why they must not be partisan. We are running, and we are running.”
However, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Osun has rejected the call for workers to resume, citing safety concerns.
The controversy comes amid a wider struggle over control of local governments in Osun, with both the PDP and APC laying claim to authority over council administrations.
Titilope Adako is a talented and intrepid journalist, dedicated to shedding light on the untold stories of Osun State and Nigeria. Through incisive reporting, she tackles a broad spectrum of topics, from politics and social justice to culture and entertainment, with a commitment to accuracy, empathy, and inspiring positive change.
