Osun LG Fund: When Justice is on a Ventilator, What Comes Next? -By Hon. Femi Oluwasanmi

“…The rumored scheme, allegedly being orchestrated within the ‘proxy court’—to release the withheld local government funds to the APC Yes-or-No Chairmen and Councillors merely 23 days before the expiration of their disputed tenure—constitutes a profound injustice. It is a blatant affront to the will of the people and a flagrant violation of the principles of fairness and equity.”

The above statement appeared in my article Justice in a Proxy Court, published on September 22, 2025. What was once a mere speculation has now tragically become reality. It is painfully evident that justice in this matter has been grievously assaulted, brutalized, and trampled to the extent that it is now “on a ventilator, gasping for oxygen,” with its survival hinging precariously on the forthcoming judgment of the Federal High Court scheduled for October 16, 2025.

How did our nation descend to such a nadir in the administration of justice? This question demands urgent reflection, especially at this critical juncture when Nigeria aspires to reclaim its stature as the giant of Africa. Moreover, as the nation approaches the 65th anniversary of its political independence from colonial rule, a milestone that should have emboldened our maturity and governance instead of the deeply disheartening persistent erosion of justice being witnessed in the country.

The ongoing impasse within the Osun Local Government Council has unfolded as a protracted tug-of-war, marked by intricate maneuverings that cast doubt on the Supreme Court’s ruling on local government autonomy. The federal government’s actions seem to suggest that Osun State alone is subject to exceptional interference, a stance that undermines the universal applicability of the court’s autonomy judgment across Nigeria.

On September 26, 2025, it was reported that the federal government allegedly authorized the release of the withheld local government funds into newly opened bank accounts at UBA, purportedly belonging to the APC Yes-or-No Chairmen and Councillors whose legitimacy remains contested in ongoing litigation before both the Federal High Court and the Supreme Court, raising serious questions about the legality of this transfer.

This reckless move provoked a vociferous public outcry from the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) and allied unions. They challenged the legality of releasing funds into these accounts, pointing out that, according to the regulatory framework governing local government administration, key principal officers were excluded from the process, and the mandated signatories were absent, a clear violation of the established code of conduct.

In response, a Federal High Court injunction in Ibadan restrained UBA from disbursing the funds to the Yes-or-No Chairmen and Councillors pending the resolution of the ongoing legal disputes.

Why this desperation by the desperados to seize control of these funds if their professed purpose is genuine public service rather than personal interest? Why exclude rightful signatories among the principal officers? Why open new accounts instead of utilizing existing local government accounts? Is Osun State the sole testing ground for local government autonomy in Nigeria? These questions expose the underlying motives of those intent on exploiting and looting the common patrimony of Osun’s people.

While local government autonomy is a welcome development, the manner in which it is being experimentally imposed in Osun State reveals that justice has been crucified on the altar of political ambition and self-interest.

This situation heralds a dangerous era for democracy and poses a dire threat to the rule of law and the authority of judicial pronouncements. Should judicial rulings be disregarded, it risks ushering in a Hobbesian state of nature, where life becomes “nasty, brutish, and short”, thus imperiling the fragile peace and stability of society.

Such a dystopian scenario would have been closer to reality considering the crises that broke out across the local government councils in the state in Feburary, 2025, were it not for the resilience, maturity, leadership acumen, and unwavering commitment of Governor Ademola Adeleke to safeguarding the interests and welfare of the people of Osun through wisdom and empathy, urging them to remain calm and resist the provocations of those desperate to foment crises with the aim of triggering a state of emergency in order to manipulate their path to power in 2026.

Regrettably, the impasse has engendered a climate of fear, severely hampering governance at the grassroots and denying the people the full dividends of democracy. The atmosphere of uncertainty as exacerbated by the unseen forces operating through proxy courts, has created a precarious situation that poses an existental threat to the future of local government administration in Osun state.

In response to the volatile environment, local government workers have prudently adopted a hybrid work-from-home system, a strategy that has shielded members of NULGE in Osun from harm amidst the turmoil. This proactive measure merits high commendation for prioritizing workers’ safety amid ongoing impasse.

Unsurprisingly, the APC Yes-or-No Chairmen, Councillors, and their sponsors vehemently oppose this cautious approach, placing power above the welfare of the people. Such disdain only reinforces the resolve of Osun citizens to overwhelmingly reject the APC in the forthcoming 2026 gubernatorial elections. The people of Osun demand respect and recognition, not to be marginalized or treated as voiceless spectators in their own governance.

While the APC proclaims a renewed hope, this rhetoric thinly veils a reality marked by renewed hardship, poverty, hunger, and lawlessness, manifesting in their flagrant defiance of the rule of law and insensitivity to the aspirations of the people.

This troubling trend is not confined to Osun State alone, as similar symptoms have been observed in other states, notably Rivers State, where a state of emergency was declared under the pretext of restoring law and order, only to pave the way for the installation of local government officers loyal to the president’s political allies through the local government elections overseen by a sole administrator whose constitutional legitimacy remains ambiguous.

A similar strategy appears to be unfolding in Osun State, with provocations designed to destabilize peace and create conditions conducive to declaring a state of emergency.

Though peace is preached in words by the APC but can there be true peace without justice? The answer is unequivocally no, as justice is the foundational pillar upon which peace rests. The Federal High Court in Abuja is set to deliver its verdict on October 16, 2025. However, given the circumstances surrounding the case’s transfer from Osogbo to Abuja—marked by questionable motives and procedural opacity—skepticism about the impartiality of justice remains justified.

October 16 is fast approaching. It presents a pivotal opportunity for the judiciary to reaffirm its role as the ultimate arbiter of justice and the last bastion of hope for the people. Only through a fair and resolute judgment can justice—currently gasping for breath on a ventilator—be revived to the jubilant acclaim of the people of Osun, the echoes of victory for democracy, justice for the people, and commendation for the judiciary.

E-signed:
Hon. Femi Oluwasanmi,
Special Assistant to the Governor of Osun State,
Secretary, Ijesa South SAs Forum,
Administrator, Osun State Special Assistants Forum.
Date: 30/9/2025.