Traditional rulers in Osun State have appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to urgently wade into the lingering crisis that has stalled the release of statutory allocations to local government areas in the state since February.
The Council of Obas, led by the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, warned that the prolonged denial of funds has crippled governance at the grassroots and is taking a heavy toll on communities across Osun.
At the centre of the crisis is a fierce political battle between the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) over who should legally control the 30 local governments and the Modakeke Area Office.
The APC leadership insists that a February 10, 2025, judgment of the Court of Appeal in Akure reinstated chairmen and councillors elected in the October 15, 2022 local government polls. These officials were earlier sacked by a Federal High Court in Osogbo in December 2022.
But the PDP has rejected that claim, maintaining that only those elected in the February 22, 2025 elections have the mandate to manage the council areas.
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Caught in this political deadlock, local governments have been unable to access their statutory monthly allocations, effectively grounding basic services.
In a statement signed by the Ooni of Ife on behalf of the Council of Obas and obtained in Osogbo on Tuesday, the monarchs lamented that the non-release of funds was crippling traditional institutions and worsening the plight of ordinary citizens.
“As apolitical fathers of the land, we are not interested in political differences or the tussle between parties. Our concern is the wellbeing of our people and the smooth running of local governance,” the statement read.
The monarchs further reminded authorities that traditional institutions depend on five percent deductions from local government allocations to function. “Without it, it is almost impossible to serve our people adequately,” Oba Ogunwusi stated.
They expressed dismay that secretariats across Osun have become inactive, leaving markets, community roads and other grassroots responsibilities in decay.
“It baffles us daily to see secretariats inactive because allocations have been withheld for months. Our markets, community roads and other council responsibilities are suffering. We cannot pretend not to see this rot,” the Ooni stressed.
The traditional rulers urged President Tinubu to act as “the father of the nation” by ending the stalemate, which they said has left rural dwellers, farmers and vulnerable groups in dire straits.
They argued that resolving the crisis would not only revive grassroots governance in Osun but also strengthen traditional institutions to complement the Federal Government’s efforts nationwide.
