By John Dike, Osogbo
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State has condemned the actions of the factional leadership of the National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) in the state, led by Dr. Nathaniel Ogungbangbe, accusing the union of meddling in the issue of delayed federal allocations to local government councils.
In a statement issued on Monday by the state APC Chairman, Sooko Tajudeen Lawal, the party described as “reckless” a recent call by Dr. Ogungbangbe urging the Accountant-General of the Federation, the Attorney-General of the Federation, and the Central Bank of Nigeria not to release federal allocations meant for Osun’s local governments.
The APC alleged that the NULGE leadership in Osun is acting in collusion with the Governor Ademola Adeleke-led administration to further worsen the hardship faced by grassroots communities through the withholding of constitutionally guaranteed funds for local government administration.
“For over seven months, local government workers in the state have been on a sympathy strike, clearly driven by partisan interests,” the APC said. “Rather than function as a neutral labour body, NULGE under Ogungbangbe has effectively become a political arm of the ruling PDP in Osun.”
The party urged members of the public to ignore what it described as “deceptive claims” by Ogungbangbe that NULGE remains apolitical, stating that the union’s actions have repeatedly demonstrated otherwise and undermined both democratic values and the rule of law.
The APC emphasized that a Court of Appeal judgment delivered on February 10, 2025, had reaffirmed the legitimacy of APC-elected local government chairmen and councillors in the state, adding that there was no constitutional justification for withholding funds from these duly recognized officials.
“We call on the Federal Government and relevant agencies to disregard the politically motivated statement by Ogungbangbe. This is clearly a case of ‘the voice of Esau and the hand of Jacob.’ He is acting on behalf of those determined to maintain the current impasse and frustrate grassroots governance in Osun.”
The party also questioned Ogungbangbe’s justification for keeping local government workers at home for seven months, stating that such an action contradicts the union’s claimed commitment to workers’ welfare.
“It is the height of hypocrisy to speak of protecting workers’ rights while denying them the opportunity to work and earn a living for an extended period,” the statement added.
The APC further noted that Ogungbangbe’s move to warn federal agencies against disbursing the local government allocations is not only ill-advised but also lacking in legal merit.
Citing Comrade Nweke & Ors v. Comrade Simeon & Ors (NICN/EN/37/2018), the APC pointed out that trade unions are only permitted by law to act within the scope of their members’ employment conditions, and not to engage in political or administrative matters.
The statement also referenced Skye Bank v. Akinpelu (2010) LPELR-3073(SC), which held that institutions must not act on unverified claims or politically motivated influence, as well as Adoga v. Nigerian Navy (NICN/ABJ/392/2019), which established that parties not directly involved in a legal matter have no locus standi to interfere.
“The Osun NULGE, under Dr. Ogungbangbe, is neither a party to the ongoing Supreme Court case, nor a stakeholder in the political matter at hand. It has no legal or moral standing to insert itself into this issue.”
The party described the role of NULGE in the ongoing matter as that of a “meddlesome interloperunlawful, unethical, and unpatriotic,” insisting that the people of Osun State deserve better than what it called “partisan sabotage disguised as unionism.”
