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Osun must refund seven month’s LG allocations, AGF tells S’Court
The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, has urged the Supreme Court to compel Osun State Government to refund seven months’ local government allocations to the Minister of Finance.
The request was contained in a response filed through Fagbemi’s counsel, Chief Akin Olujimi SAN, to a suit instituted by the government via its attorney general.
Osun had sued the AGF as the sole defendant, alleging that the Federal Government failed to release the statutory allocation due to its 30 local government councils for March 2025.
In the suit marked SC/CV/379/2025, the state government claimed that whenit queried the Ministry of Finance over the unpaid allocation, the Minister of Finance, Wale Odun, allegedly said he was acting under the AGF’s directive.
However, the AGF denied the claim, challenging the legitimacy of the suit, accusing the state government of contempt for allegedly disobeying a July 11, 2024, Supreme Court judgment.
Fagbemi argued that Osun’s reliance on the 2004 case of AG Lagos State v. AG Federation—where the Supreme Court ordered the release of withheld funds to Lagos State—was misplaced.
In a counter-affidavit deposed by the Special Assistant to the President, Taye Oloyede, the AGF insisted that neither he nor the Minister of Finance instructed the withholding of Osun’s LG funds.
Oloyede testified that on May 22, 2025, in his presence, the Minister of Finance denied ever receiving such instructions.
According to the affidavit, Osun State never alleged that the President issued an order, nor did it provide evidence that the LG funds were deliberately withheld.
Oloyede emphasised that direct payment of allocations to LGs requires only that they submit account details to the Ministry of Finance.
He claimed the individuals currently administering Osun’s LGs were elected under the previous APC-led state government and remain in office until October 2025.
He asserted that Osun failed to show that its LGs had submitted their account details to the Finance Ministry.
Oloyede further argued that the plaintiff failed to show that it had the legal authority or consent of the LGs to initiate the lawsuit.
Instead, the affidavit indicated Osun’s intention to use the LG allocations to fund state-level health and education initiatives—directly contravening the Supreme Court’s judgment prohibiting states from managing LG finances.
He also pointed out that an earlier Federal High Court ruling in favour of the Osun State Governor had been overturned by the Court of Appeal.
Fagbemi insisted the Osun State Government was in contempt of the July 11, 2024, Supreme Court order in AGF v. Attorney General of Abia State & Others, which ruled that LG allocations must be paid directly to LG councils and not through state governments.
The order barred states from collecting or disbursing LG funds. Osun, listed as Defendant 29 in that suit, had acknowledged the order but allegedly continued to receive and spend LG funds from July 2024 to February 2025.
The AGF described Osun’s lawsuit as a calculated attempt to gain the Supreme Court’s backing to continue violating its own ruling.
He called it an “egregious contempt” and asked the court to enforce judicial accountability.
“The only way to vindicate the authority of this court,” he stated, “is to order the plaintiff to pay back all LG funds collected between July 2024 and February 2025. These should be remitted to the Minister of Finance for onward transfer to the respective local governments.”
In a five-ground preliminary objection, the AGF argued that: “The plaintiff is not entitled to be heard due to contempt. The plaintiff has no right of appeal against the Supreme Court’s decision. The case does not present a genuine dispute to trigger the court’s original jurisdiction under Section 232(1) of the Constitution. The plaintiff has no locus standi to sue on behalf of local governments. Only LGs—not state governments—can seek redress for unpaid allocations. The AGF stressed that Osun State had improperly appointed itself as a ‘watchdog’ over LG funds, despite having no authority to litigate on their behalf.
“If any LG has been wrongly deprived of its funds,” he concluded, “it is the council itself—not the state government—that has the right to sue.”
Meanwhile, it was gathered that Osun State government has withdrawn the suit. However, Olujimi, who confirmed this, said the suit remains in court until the application for withdrawal is formally heard by the court in September.
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Beautiful and Well Equipped Medical Health Centre Built by Atanda Lawal in Obalende/Ikoyi Local Government Area
This is what another local government chairman has done in Obalende with his own increased allocations paid directly to him.
This is the result of the new social reorder; place the money for development in the hands of the authorities closer to the everyday people.
Tinubu has done his own, and if you cannot ask your individual local authorities what they have done with their allocations, that is your own irresponsibility as a citizen.
Remember, the amount each of the 774 authorities receive is published every month for all eyes to see.
Grassroot developments have begun, and it will only get better with time.
No more na governor chop money.
Hold your governors and LG chairmen by the neck.
They must deliver EVERYTHING IS NOT TINUBU !!!
Gombe State Governor, Muhammadu Yahaya, has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to the safety and welfare of National Youth Service Corps members posted to the state, assuring them of a peaceful and enabling environment throughout their service year.
Our correspondent reports that no fewer than 940 corps members took the oath of allegiance marking their formal admission into the mandatory three-week orientation course.
The governor made the pledge on Friday, during the formal swearing-in ceremony of the 2025 Batch ‘B’ Stream I corps members held at the NYSC Temporary Orientation Camp, Government Science Technical College, Amada, in Akko Local Government Area.
Represented by the Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development / Chairman, NYSC State Governing Board, Inuwa Ibrahim welcomed the corps members to the “Jewel in the Savannah.
Governor Yahaya described Gombe as a “safe haven,” stressing that his administration places high priority on youth development, peace, and security.
“We guarantee a conducive working environment for your activities and programmes during your service year,” he said. “Let me assure you of our unwavering commitment to your welfare, security, and general well-being.”
The governor, who congratulated the new corps members on their successful academic journey and induction into national service, advised them to take the orientation course seriously, as it lays the foundation for a purposeful service year.
“The orientation course is designed to introduce you to the objectives of the NYSC. I urge you to participate actively and take advantage of the teachings and training to develop your potential,” he stated.
Yahaya encouraged the corps members to integrate into their host communities and contribute meaningfully to the socio-economic development of the state.
“As you serve in Gombe, I encourage you to be part of our developmental efforts and help in empowering the youth. Your predecessors left positive footprints, and it’s our collective responsibility to continue building on that legacy,” he added.
The governor also commended the NYSC scheme for promoting national unity over the past 50 years and appreciated partner agencies and stakeholders for their continued support of the scheme in the state.
He concluded by declaring the orientation course officially open and wished the corps members a fruitful, impactful, and incident-free service year.
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The National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives has called off its warning strike, the Minister of Health, Ali Pate, announced on Friday.
Speaking to journalists after a closed-door meeting in Abuja, Pate said the decision followed agreements reached between the government and the association’s leadership.
However, union leaders declined to speak to the press after the meeting.
Nurses and midwives under the association had begun a nationwide warning strike on July 29 over unmet demands, including improved welfare, fair allowances, and better working conditions in federal health institutions.
The strike, which affected public health institutions across the country, was scheduled to last until August 5.
The union’s National Chairman, Morakinyo Rilwan, had previously accused the Federal Government of failing to engage with the association during the 15-day ultimatum issued on July 14.
“As far as we are concerned, there has been no communication from the government to this moment. That is why we are saying the strike is going on, and nothing is stopping it.
“Even if the government calls today or tomorrow, it won’t stop the strike. They had enough time,” Rilwan had said.
The association is demanding an upward review of shift and uniform allowances, implementation of a separate salary structure for nurses, increased core duty allowance, mass employment of nurses, and the creation of a dedicated nursing department in the Federal Ministry of Health.
Rilwan had also said the decision to embark on the strike was driven by widespread frustration among members over years of neglect.
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