Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke has accused his predecessor, Adegboyega Oyetola, of using federal institutions and banks to facilitate what he described as illegal extensions of tenure by All Progressives Congress (APC) local government chairmen and councillors.
In a state broadcast on Monday, Adeleke alleged that some APC-elected council officials continued to occupy council secretariats beyond their statutory tenure with police protection, acting on Oyetola’s directives. He said their tenure expired on October 22, 2025, and called on President Bola Tinubu to intervene.
The governor further accused Oyetola of “weaponising” federal institutions, including the Nigerian Police Force and United Bank for Africa, to enable the continued occupation of councils and impose hardship on residents.
Reacting, the Osun APC dismissed the allegations as false and misleading. In a statement signed by its Director of Media, Kola Olabisi, the party said a Court of Appeal judgment of February 10, 2025, reinstated APC council chairmen and councillors, a ruling it said the Adeleke administration did not challenge at the Supreme Court.
The party added that the reinstated officials are also contesting the legality of another local government election conducted during what it described as the subsistence of their tenure.
The APC also rejected claims that federal allocations to councils were being withheld, blaming ongoing litigations linked to the state government for delays.
It urged Adeleke to refrain from interfering in local government affairs, citing the Supreme Court’s position on council autonomy, and warned the governor against blaming Oyetola for challenges facing his administration.
Keywords: Osun State, local government crisis, Adeleke, Oyetola, APC
