Crisis deepened in Osun State’s local government system on Thursday after a faction of local government workers, under the umbrella of the Association of Concerned Local Government Workers of Osun State, directed striking council staff to immediately resume work.
The directive runs contrary to the position of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees, Osun State chapter, which had ordered workers to stay off duty since February 17, 2025, following violent clashes between members of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party and the opposition All Progressives Congress over control of councils.
Addressing journalists in Osogbo, the coordinator of the breakaway group, Adedayo Adekunle, accused the state NULGE leadership of insensitivity for keeping workers at home for nearly eight months.
Adekunle insisted that council staff were apolitical and should return to duty.
He said, “To avoid degradation and possible job loss, concerned local government staff hereby call on all patriotic and law-abiding workers to resume work without delay.
Information at our disposal is that staff auditing has been slated for next week to ascertain the actual number of staff in the office.
“In addition, all staff are to report at their mother council with their first appointment letter, confirmation letter and last promotion letter for easier and proper identification. Sequel to the above, we want to assure our members that we are apolitical.”
But in a swift response, Osun NULGE, through its Publicity Secretary, David Owoeye, dismissed the directive as fake and warned its members not to comply.
The statement read in part, “The union is using this medium to inform our esteemed members that such information did not emanate from the elected state NULGE Executives under the leadership of Comrade Dr. Nathaniel Kehinde Ogungbangbe.
“It was authored to destabilise the peace of the state, through which our members could be massacred and our membership strength reduced. Therefore, the union beseeches all our members to see the write-up as the handiwork of the killers of destiny, which must be completely jettisoned, and stay away from office until further directive from the REAL elected State NULGE executives.”
Meanwhile, the Osun State House of Assembly has again warned commercial banks, especially the United Bank for Africa’s Osogbo branch, against honouring unauthorised financial instructions on local government accounts.
In a letter signed by the Speaker, Adewale Egbedun, dated Thursday, October 2, 2025, the Assembly described as unconstitutional alleged directives authorising deductions of up to 15 percent of September allocations from some local government councils, including Boluwaduro.
The House insisted that under the Osun State Guidelines on Local Government Administration and the Public Financial Management Law, 2020, only the Local Government Chairman and the Director of Administration and General Services are recognised as signatories to council accounts.
The Speaker warned, “Any transaction in breach of this position shall attract the full constitutional and legal consequences, including summons before the House, warrants of arrest, and referrals to anti-corruption agencies. Your institution will also stand the risk of blacklisting and withdrawal of the privilege to operate government accounts.”
