The Osun State Government has rejected calls by a group claiming to be local government vice chairmen elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to account for council allocations spanning more than a year.
The group, which calls itself the Forum of Local Government Vice Chairmen, alleged that the state government failed to transparently utilise funds released to councils between December 2023 and January 2025.
In a statement circulated in Osogbo, the forum’s chairman, Victor Fatoki, claimed that local governments in the state received more than ₦200 billion during the period and argued that the inflow was not reflected in visible projects across several council areas.
The group called on Governor Ademola Adeleke to provide a detailed breakdown of how the funds were spent, citing communities such as Atakunmosa East, Ila, Ifedayo, Boluwaduro and Obokun as lacking infrastructure commensurate with the alleged allocations.
The state government, however, dismissed the claims and questioned the legitimacy of the group, saying it had no legal standing under Osun State law.
Speaking through his deputy spokesperson, Oladele Bamiji, Governor Adeleke said the administration would not engage with what it described as an unlawful body, adding that there was no recognised forum of vice chairmen elected on the basis of political parties in the state.
Bamiji warned that the activities of the group could undermine public order, while the governor also noted that the status of officials claiming to be vice chairmen remained the subject of ongoing court cases.
The dispute comes amid a protracted legal battle between the Osun State Government and the APC over the control of local government councils and their finances, a conflict that has stalled full council administration since February 2025.