Withheld LGA Funds: FG Playing Politics with Lives of Osun People

EXPRESSO By STEVE OSUJI

“We won’t bow to impunity, we won’t surrender, we will forge ahead because the law, the constitution, the people and God are with us.”   – Gov. Ademola Adeleke of Osun State.

Crushing Irony:  Why is nobody talking about this vicious politics playing out in Osun State? Why is all manner of evil being normalised in the country? Why are Nigerians losing sight of a crushing irony of this magnitude?

For one year and three months, the federal government, led by President Bola Tinubu has illegally seized the monthly allocation of 30 local government areas (LGAs) in Osun State. Over N150 billion and the very livelihood of about four million Osun people is being locked down ostensibly on account of dirty politicking.

But the crushing ironies here are that first, it seems not to matter that Osun is the native home of President Tinubu. Cold politics seems to be trumping filial relationship here.

And second, what’s going on is a  deja vu situation. In 2004, the federal government led by President Olusegun Obasanjo, had withheld the federal allocations due to Lagos State. The funds were held up until 2007 when Obasanjo was succeeded by President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua who promptly released the seized allocation.

REIGN OF IMPUNITY:

In Obasanjo’s 2004, just as in  Tinubu’s 2025, impunity, abuse of power (federal might), perverse politics and crude leadership are at play.

Then, as it is now, the supreme court ruled against the withholding of a LGA’s federal allocation by the FG. But the apex court was blatantly disobeyed and repudiated by Obasanjo  just as Tinubu’s doing today.

Bola Tinubu as governor of Lagos State had created 37 more administrative areas from the existing 20 LGAs known to Nigeria’s constitution. The FG led by Obasanjo kicked against it. Governor Tinubu held his ground and his position was supported by the highest court in the land.

LIKE OBASANJO, LIKE TINUBU:

Just as President Obasanjo was Governor Tinubu’s nemesis in 2004, President Tinubu is Governor Ademola Adeleke’s albatross today. Though the issues may be similar, the details are not exactly the same. While Obasanjo may seem to be defending the constitution he was sworn to, by  stopping the creation of more administrative entities not stated in the constitution, Tinubu’s current action is driven by crass politics.

He insists that LGA chairmen who are members of his party, but whose term of office had elapsed must be retained.

A new ‘election’ has since been conducted by the present governor and new chairmen sworn in, but  the former LGA chairmen, helped by the federal police, have besieged and occupied LGA offices for over a year running.

As a confirmation of the crass politicking going on in Osun, exactly the same scenario played out in Edo State. Governor Monday Okpebholo inherited a PDP run local government system. He dislodged them and organised a fresh ‘election’ which brought in his party people.

OPERATION RECLAIM OSUN:

This state is not only the birthplace of President Tinubu, it is supposed to be his political stronghold and catchment area. But in 2022, Governor Adegboyega Oyetola of the APC was roundly defeated by popular and plucky Ademola Adeleke of the PDP.

That was during the era of President Buhari when there was still a modicum of credibility in elections. Besides, Oyetola, a sibling of Tinubu having failed woefully and lost woefully as governor, has since been rewarded with a federal ministerial appointment by Tinubu.

But Osun guber election is in August. Just three months away. If the election comes free and credible,  the incumbent Adeleke will surely trounce any APC candidate. This partly explains the ongoing brazen  attempt to muzzle the incumbent.

Starve the sitting government access to local government funds and cause disaffection between the people and current government. This is what the seizure of Osun LGA federal allocation is all about.

Apart from the fact that there was a Supreme court precedent going way back to the Obasanjo-Tinubu tango in 2004, in the current case, the supreme court has also ruled that the federal government has no right over LGA funds. The federation account doesn’t belong to the federal government. Three federating units – LGAs, States and the FG – are partners and equal owners of the funds in the federation account. For the FG to arrogate to itself, the power to seize any of the co-partners funds is hubris that needs to be cured quickly before it becomes cancerous.

If APC LGA chairmem feel hard done by, they should have approached the court to seek redress, not the presidency deploying federal might of Police and  the Ministry of Finance, to repress the opposition.

LIKE ADELEKE, LIKE TINUBU:

As Governor Tinubu faced up to President Obasanjo in 2004, it’s the same way Governor Adeleke has stood up to President Tinubu today. Twenty-two years ago, Tinubu dug in, raised Lagos’ IGR, raised taxes and continued to pay LGA workers without a break.

So has Governor Ademola continued to ensure his workers get their pay every month. For one called a dancing governor; bon vivant and happy -go-lucky, Adeleke has showed and uncommon strength and steely will in his time of adversity.

At a public function last  February, he spoke firmly and strongly: he said Osun people would not bow to impunity. He condemned what is happening as an illegal hijack of Osun LGA funds and violation of Osun local finance laws.

Governor Adeleke declares: “We won’t bow, we won’t surrender, we will forge ahead because the law, the constitution, the people and God are with us. And we shall triumph to the glory of God.”

Very strong and vehement stance there.

How this plays out in the August election remains to be seen. It gets especially tough for Adeleke now that his party, PDP,  has been decimated by the agents of the FG. With all these arsenal arrayed against him, Adeleke retaining his seat would be a sheer miracle! But he’s got a lionheart, it seems.

LAST LINE:

THE OBI-KWANKWASO TRAIN RAGES ON  

The first time this duo showed its hand, there was turbulence in the polity. Peter Obi, the cause celebre of politics in Nigeria today had visited Rabiu Kwankwaso in Kano during the Sallah period, the ancient city practically caught fire. But it was the heart of their opponents that got seared.

The ruling APC was so apprehensive it supporters became paroxysmal. Considering that APC had wooed Kwankwaso vigorously, almost going on their knees,  the scene from Kano wasn’t a surprise. They knew Kwankwaso’s cult following in Kano and neighbouring states. He shunned APC for ADC.

When last Monday, Obi walked from ADC for another party, NDC and Kwankwaso followed suit a few days later forging an iconic political marriage never seen before in Nigeria, it was nothing short of a political tsunami in the land.

The Obi-Kwankwaso ticket presents a most interesting political marriage. Both men command teeming organic followership that has become something of a cult hero worship.

While the OBiDIENTS movement is more widespread, the Kwankwasiya is deep in Kano, Jigawa and close by states.

With the ADC and Atiku left in the cold, and with the opposition divided, whether the OK Movement as Obi-Kwankwaso team is known, can tame the incumbency bull will be determined at the polls in January, 2027. Fingers crossed, but the air is thick and pregnant!###