Legal Experts, Callers Berate Osun APC on Radio Programme
The Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) faced renewed public scrutiny over the weekend as legal practitioners and concerned citizens strongly criticised the party and its court-sacked local government chairmen over alleged diversion of local government funds, amid prolonged non-payment of workers and pensioners.
The criticism dominated a live radio programme, Stewardship, broadcast simultaneously across radio stations in Osun State. Callers and legal experts alike questioned the moral, legal, and constitutional basis of the APC’s actions, describing the situation as a deepening reputational challenge for the party in the state.
Legal analysts on the programme dismissed claims by the sacked APC chairmen that their tenure commenced in 2024, clarifying that their tenure legally began in September 2022 when they were sworn in by former Governor Gboyega Oyetola. They further countered assertions that the chairmen never assumed office, noting that they served for 42 days before being removed by a court judgment.
One of the lawyers explained that while the Constitution and the Electoral Act provide a 21-day window for appeals in cases of nullified elections, such provisions do not apply to the circumstances surrounding the removal of the APC chairmen. Another expert referenced affidavits reportedly deposed to by the chairmen at the Supreme Court, in which they acknowledged that their tenure would lapse by October 22, 2025, questioning the legality of the current push for tenure elongation.
As legal arguments were laid out, callers—many identifying as local government teachers, health workers, and other employees expressed frustration over what they described as inhumane treatment, alleging that council funds were being shared unlawfully while legitimate beneficiaries remained unpaid.
Several contributors warned of political consequences, vowing to mobilise against the APC in the forthcoming August polls over the perceived mismanagement of local government resources.
Mr Rasheed Ayinde, Coordinator of the Contributory Pensioners, also called into the programme, raising concerns about the worsening plight of local government pensioners. He alleged that the diversion of funds had led to severe hardship, with reports of pensioners dying due to hunger and neglect. Ayinde appealed for Governor Ademola Adeleke to be allowed to continue his reform efforts, noting that pensions were being paid under the current administration.
The Commissioner for Information, Mr Oluomo Kolapo Alimi, issued a stern warning during the programme, cautioning individuals involved in the alleged diversion of local government funds that criminal liability has no statute of limitation. He stressed that any funds illegally disbursed through banks, including UBA, would be recovered, either immediately or in the future.
According to Alimi, there is no legal basis for sharing what he described as “autonomy funds” in violation of established laws, adding that accountability would ultimately be enforced when due process takes its course.
