Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State has urged the federal government to immediately release the state’s withheld local government (LG) allocations, insisting there is no legal basis for the delay.

In February, the state conducted local council elections despite a directive from the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Lateef Fagbemi, advising that the process be halted. Fagbemi argued that the sacked All Progressives Congress (APC) chairpersons should be reinstated, as the court of appeal had overturned the lower court’s judgment that removed them.

Adeleke, however, proceeded with the polls, which the APC and Labour Party (LP) boycotted. The exercise was marred by disputes and violence, with the APC later calling on the federal government to withhold allocations, describing the elections as unlawful.

In a post on X on Wednesday, Adeleke dismissed that position, commending the Osun council of obas, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), and “other lovers of justice” for backing the call to release the funds.

He argued that the NBA’s stance validated his position that the February 22, 2025 elections conducted by the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSSIEC) were “valid and lawful.”

“The PDP-elected chairmen and councillors are the rightful occupants and authority of Osun local government councils,” he wrote. “There is no legal basis for the continued seizure of Osun State local government funds. I call on the Federal Government and the President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to release our local government allocations without delay.”

Adeleke reiterated his administration’s commitment to upholding the rule of law and defending the rights of Osun people.