Senior Advocate of Nigeria and APC chieftain, Kunle Adegoke, has accused the Osun State government and the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) of frustrating the release of local government funds through “false narratives and endless litigation.”

Speaking on ARISE News on Thursday, Adegoke traced the dispute to the 2022 local government elections conducted by the APC-led government in Osun, which were challenged by the PDP in court. The elections were later nullified by the Federal High Court, dissolving APC-led councils just days before Governor Ademola Adeleke was sworn in.

According to Adegoke, Adeleke immediately dissolved the councils, denying them the chance to appeal. However, the Court of Appeal later ruled that the PDP had no locus standi to file the case, effectively voiding the judgment.

He argued that claims by the Osun government that the courts validated its stance are misleading. “The decision of the Court of Appeal did not affirm the PDP’s position. The leading judgment is what stands, not concurring opinions that contradict it,” he said.

Adegoke accused the state government of filing multiple suits across various courts to block the disbursement of funds to APC-led councils. “It is the PDP and the Osun government that are frustrating the release of funds. APC has not filed a single case,” he maintained.

Citing Supreme Court precedents, he argued that funds should be paid directly to democratically elected local officials, not state governments. He urged the PDP to allow APC council officials to access the funds so workers could be paid.

“The way forward is for PDP and the Osun government to stop obstructing and let the money go to the authentic leaders of the councils,” he said.