By Gbemi Olufiade
The recent attempt by the Osun APC to vilify Dr. Reuben Abati over his comments on the Arise News Morning Show is not only misplaced but also dishonest. The same press statement issued by the Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) attacking Governor Ademola Adeleke over commentary of Dr. Reuben Abati on Osun local government allocations is unfortunate and also misleading.
The facts over propaganda must be stated clearly that Dr. Abati is not a lone voice on this matter. His commentary reflects a wider chorus of concerns raised by respected stakeholders across Nigeria. Traditional rulers in Osun State, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Senior Advocates of Nigeria such as Chief Mike Ozekhome, as well as other eminent Nigerians, have openly expressed worry about the politicisation of local government allocations and the undue hardship being inflicted on the people. To single out Dr. Abati for attack, while ignoring this broad spectrum of voices, amounts to scapegoating and intellectual dishonesty.
The NBA, after setting up a fact-finding committee, declared that the continued withholding of LG allocations in Osun State is “unconstitutional, unlawful, and a dangerous affront to the rule of law.” It clarified further that the Adeleke administration was not responsible for the removal of APC chairmen in 2022, thereby vindicating the Governor. The NBA stressed that duly elected councils must not be denied their allocations under any guise.
Renowned constitutional lawyer, Prof. Mike Ozekhome, described the withholding of LG funds as “highly political and lacking in constitutional backing.” He insisted that “nothing bars the validly elected councils from accessing their allocations” and called on the Attorney General of the Federation to act as guardian of the Constitution rather than a partisan actor.
The Council of Obas in Osun has openly appealed to President Bola Tinubu to intervene and ensure that LG allocations are released without delay. They emphasised that their concern is not partisan politics, but the welfare of the grassroots and the stability of communities across the state.
On Arise News, Dr. Abati echoed the same position stressing that the refusal to release LG allocations undermines both constitutional order and service delivery. Far from being “professional terrorism,” his intervention reflects the reasoned concerns of legal and civic stakeholders nationwide.
Governor Ademola Adeleke has remained consistent in upholding constitutional processes. The Court of Appeal judgment of February 10, 2025, which APC clings to, must be understood within the legal principle that binding judgments rest on ratio decidendi, not on obiter dicta. Subsequent judicial clarifications have made this position clear, hence the attempt to weaponise a selective interpretation of the law is nothing more than political opportunism.
The facts remain that allocations are subject to constitutional checks and accountability frameworks. Governor Adeleke has not diverted, blocked, or misapplied LG funds. Rather, his administration has insisted that due process must guide disbursement. The ongoing industrial action by NULGE is not a creation of the present government but the legacy of systemic issues worsened under past administrations. To now turn around and heap the blame on Adeleke is an unfair rewriting of history.
– Hear Dr. Reuben Abati on the seized Osun LG allocations through the following link :
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