The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has demanded that all local government funds that have been withheld be released to Osun State’s legitimately elected governments immediately and unconditionally.
The group also requested that the Attorney General stop further politicizing local government sovereignty and revoke all “illegal directives” to federal financial institutions.
This was said in a statement released following the National Administrative Council (NAC) and Central Working Committee meeting of the NLC, which took place in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
In a statement signed by NLC President Comrade Joe Ajaero and General Secretary Comrade Emmanuel Ugboaja, the organization denounced the partisan intervention, claiming it had weakened grassroots governance, denied workers compensation, and obstructed vital services like infrastructure, healthcare, and education.
The CWC reiterated its support for true local government autonomy as a pillar for democratic participation, accountability, and grassroots development, according to a portion of the statement.
“All parties involved in the constitutional review process were urged by the Congress to enshrine provisions that protect local governments’ administrative and financial independence.
“It reviewed with grave concern the deliberate withholding and diversion of statutory allocations due to the democratically elected Local Government Councils in Osun State, orchestrated by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation in collusion with the Minister of Finance and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
“This act constitutes a blatant violation of the Constitution, the Fiscal Responsibility Act, and the judgment of the Court of Appeal affirming the legitimacy of the current Local Government leadership in Osun State.
“The CWC condemns in strongest terms this partisan interference, which undermines grassroots governance, deprives workers of their wages, and sabotages essential services such as primary healthcare, education, and infrastructure”.
However, NLC issued a warning that if compliance is not achieved within a reasonable timeframe, legal action will be taken to protect workers’ rights.
According to the DAILY POST, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) have been at odds over the validity of council officials for a long time, which is the root of the Osun Local Government conflict.
Due to the 30 council secretariats and the Area Office being claimed by both parties, the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) has been on strike since February, and supporters of the APC and PDP have been engaged in violent altercations.
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