The All Progressives Congress, APC, has fired back at the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, over its complaints on the Federal Government’s stoppage of statutory allocations to Osun State.
It described the allegations by the ruling party in the state against the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Mr. Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, over the stoppage as baseless.
The APC, which controls the Federal Government, in a statement by its Director of Media and Information in Osun State, Mogaji Kola Olabisi, accused the state government of political blackmail and judicial sabotage.
It said the PDP’s claims against the AGF were nothing but “a desperate cry from a party on the losing side of justice.”
Olabisi recalled that the same PDP-led Osun government had earlier rubbished the February 10, 2025 Court of Appeal judgment that reinstated the APC-elected local government chairmen and councillors, only to now posture as defenders of the rule of law.
His words, “It is important to remind the public that the rule of law has remained constant and has been diligently observed by the Federal Government,”
The party also reminded Nigerians that the PDP had previously called on the National Assembly to summon the AGF to clarify his position on the same judgment they now oppose.
Olabisi said, “The PDP’s moral and legal credibility is in question. They are the ones who have shut down grassroots governance by preventing local government workers from functioning since February 16, 2025”.
The APC dismissed allegations of bias against the AGF, noting that Mr. Fagbemi’s prior role as counsel to Oyetola was a matter of professional duty, not partisanship.
Earlier, the PDP had slammed Fagbemi, SAN, for allegedly stopping the statutory monthly allocation to local government councils in the state.
In a statement by its Director of Media, in the state, Oladele Bamiji, it accused the AGF of overstepping his constitutional mandate, abuse of office, political partisanship, and undermining the rule of law.
It condemned what it described as Fagbemi’s “deliberate and politically motivated interference” in the governance of the state, particularly the alleged obstruction of statutory financial allocations to local governments.
According to the party, “The recent directive, lacking any judicial backing, which halted the disbursement of funds to democratically elected local governments in Osun State, is a clear affront to constitutionalism,”.
Referencing the doctrine of separation of powers, and legal maxim delegatus non potest delegare, PDP said that the Attorney-General has trespassed his constitutional mandate.
It said that the the AGF’s actions amount to fiscal strangulation of duly elected local councils.
The party recalled Fagbemi’s previous legal representation of former Governor Gboyega Oyetola in the 2022 governorship litigation, arguing that such prior involvement compromises his impartiality.
Citing nemo judex in causa,the party said, “Mr. Fagbemi… ought to recuse himself from any matter directly or indirectly affecting the political ecosystem of Osun State,” the party asserted, sua.
It also condemned the alleged “extra-legal advisory” from the AGF to the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSSIEC), which it claimed contributed to political instability and loss of lives during attempts to hold local government elections.
PDP called on President Bola Tinubu to act, urging him to “rein in” the Attorney-General.
“The President… should not allow Mr. Fagbemi to infuse undeserved dark spots of authoritarian tendencies on the government, whose overall performance will be judged by posterity in his name.”
The party callef for justice and constitutional adherence, reaffirming support for Governor Ademola Adeleke and elected Odin councils officials, saying, “Justice must not only be done, it must be seen to be done”.
