By John Dike Osogbo
Group urges Tinubu to pay outstanding funds to legally recognised council leaderships, warns labour against politicising workers’ welfare
The World Institute for Peace (WIP) has cautioned the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Osun State Council, against allowing partisan political interests to influence its position on the lingering local government crisis in the state.
The organisation also called on President Bola Tinubu-led Federal Government to release outstanding local government allocations to what it described as the legitimate and legally recognised council leaderships, rather than paying the funds to the Osun State Government.
WIP’s position followed a recent communiqué by the Osun NLC, which reportedly issued a seven-day ultimatum to the Federal Government over the disputed local government allocations and threatened industrial action involving the Federal Government and United Bank for Africa (UBA).
In a statement signed by its Executive Director, Lamina Kamiludeen Omotoyosi, the organisation acknowledged the importance of protecting the salaries, pensions and other entitlements of local government workers but faulted the approach adopted by the labour union.
It argued that the NLC’s intervention should be guided by constitutional provisions, judicial pronouncements and the need to protect workers’ interests, rather than political considerations surrounding the local government leadership dispute.
WIP maintained that organised labour must remain neutral and should not disregard the rights of elected council chairmen and councillors on account of their political affiliations.
“The NLC must not be allowed to misrepresent the local government crisis in Osun,” the organisation declared.
The group specifically urged the labour union to reconsider its position in the light of the 2025 Court of Appeal judgment delivered by the Akure Division, which it described as central to determining the legitimate leadership of the councils.
According to WIP, the Federal Government should carefully consider relevant court decisions and constitutional provisions in determining the appropriate recipients of the outstanding allocations.
It further expressed concern over the NLC’s reported threat to embark on industrial action and picket UBA, describing such measures as counterproductive in resolving the legal and administrative disagreements surrounding the council funds.
The organisation argued that the bank should be allowed to operate within the limits of lawful directives and applicable financial regulations without being subjected to political pressure.
WIP consequently called on the national leadership of the NLC to intervene in the matter and ensure that its Osun chapter remained focused on its primary responsibility of protecting workers’ welfare.
It also commended President Tinubu for his efforts to strengthen local government autonomy through direct funding, saying the policy could promote grassroots democracy, accountability and development if properly implemented.
“Local government autonomy has come to stay, and every stakeholder must respect its constitutional and democratic implications,” the statement added.
The organisation also urged the Osun State Government to respect the autonomy of local councils and called on all parties involved in the dispute to place the interests of workers and residents above political considerations.
It warned that local government employees and residents should not be made to suffer indefinitely because of the political and legal disagreements over the control of council administrations and their finances.
WIP insisted that the outstanding allocations should be released without unnecessary delay, provided the disbursement was made to the appropriate council leaderships in accordance with applicable laws and judicial decisions.
It stressed that the protection of workers’ entitlements and respect for the rule of law must remain central to any lasting resolution of the Osun local government crisis.
