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Osun PDP, APC clash as FG releases LG allocations

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12 months ago

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The Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, on Sunday, confirmed that the Federal Government had released the withheld six-month allocations for the state’s local government areas.

The APC, however, denied that the funds were paid into the private accounts of council chairmen elected on the platform of the APC in October 2022.

It said the funds were paid “into the local government councils’ accounts.”

However, the ruling PDP, which said it was not aware of the payment, demanded that the APC disclose the details of the accounts the funds were paid into.

The PDP wondered how the Federal Government would release the funds into bank accounts unknown to the state’s accountant general, auditor-general for local governments and the ministry of local governments.

The clash between the two parties comes after the National Union of Local Government Employees accused the Federal Government of illegally releasing the withheld six-month allocation to the APC.

Speaking on behalf of the union on Sunday, NULGE Chairman, Dr Nathaniel Ogungbangbe,  said the union had confirmed that the Federal Government paid the March–August 2025 allocations into accounts illegally opened by the APC chairmen and councillors despite pending court cases.

He specifically accused the Minister of Finance, Wale Edun; the Accountant-General of the Federation, Babatunde Ogunjimi; and the Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), of abusing their offices by facilitating the release.

“Today, we have it on good authority that these three principal officers of the Federal Government have released the Osun State Local Government Councils’ allocations for the month of March 2025 to August 2025 to the illegal bank accounts opened by court-sacked APC chairmen and councillors,” Ogungbangbe said.

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“We find this development very scary and alarming.

Paying Local Government allocations into privately opened and illegal bank accounts of politicians is unbelievable, bizarre and unprecedented in the history of public administration in Nigeria.”

Ogungbangbe recalled that a Federal High Court had on May 15, 2025, ordered parties to maintain the status quo, an order he said was acknowledged by the Central Bank of Nigeria, which initially withheld payment.

“The Attorney-General cannot assume the role of the Supreme Court by setting aside the judgment of the Court of Appeal, which affirmed the sacking of the APC politicians by the Federal High Court. The Attorney-General is not above the law,” he declared.

He also accused the APC of trying to destabilise the state.

“Their ultimate goal is to cause anarchy and use it to call on the President to declare a State of Emergency in the state so that they could loot our resources,” he alleged, adding that council workers would not return to duty posts until the issue was resolved.

But the Osun APC dismissed the allegations, describing them as lies designed to favour the ruling Peoples Democratic Party.

In a statement signed by its spokesperson, Kola Olabisi, the APC said: “It is not true that the said federal allocations are paid into the account of any of our local government council chairmen or any of the APC members or chieftain but into the local government councils’ accounts.”

Olabisi further argued that NULGE had no authority to interpret court rulings.

“We want to, as a party which believes in the rule of law, make it abundantly clear that it is not the duty of the NULGE to interpret any court judgment. The Court of Appeal judgement of the 10th of February, 2025, which reinstated the APC local government council chairmen and their councillors, is still in force as there is no record anywhere that it was appealed against.”

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He accused the NULGE leadership of pursuing selfish interests and acting as an appendage of Governor Ademola Adeleke.

“The NULGE needs not weave up a series of lies in respect of the payment of the federal allocations… The sing-song of the NULGE before now was that some agencies of the Federal Government were withholding the accumulated federal allocations. Now that the logjam has been laid to rest, what would be their next excuse?” he asked.

The party also urged security agencies to remain on alert.

“We plead with the NULGE to shun brigandage, as Osun, being a subset of the country, is being governed by the rule of law,” the statement read.

Reacting to the revelation and the admission by the APC, Osun PDP called on the APC to disclose the accounts into which the allocations were paid and the signatories of the accounts.

In a statement on Sunday by its Chairman,  Sunday Bisi, the PDP described the release of funds to the APC as a crime against the people of Osun State.

The PDP said rather than attacking NULGE, the APC should “come clean before the people of Osun State by publicly disclosing the exact bank accounts into which the local government allocations were paid and the signatories to those accounts. The APC should also disclose the amount in each of the accounts.”

The PDP said, “We demand these details because all the statutory officers of all the 30 local governments who should be aware of the payment are not aware of it. These officers manage all the accounts of the local governments. They have not seen a dime in any of their local government accounts. Also, none of the state accountant general, the auditor-general for local governments and the ministry of local governments is aware of the payments or where they were paid into.

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“The Osun PDP wishes to remind the APC that hurling insults at labour unions cannot change the reality that the people of Osun are demanding answers. The questions are simple: into which accounts were the allocations paid, and who are the signatories?”

The PDP said the APC must urgently provide answers, “or we will conclude that the APC and its leaders have staged the greatest heist in the history of Nigeria by diverting over six months of allocations of all local governments in Osun State.”

“The PDP assures the people of Osun State that under Governor Ademola Adeleke, transparency and accountability will continue to be the guiding principles in the management of public funds. No amount of intimidation or blackmail by the APC will derail this resolve,” Bisi added.

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2027: Wike To Lead Campaign Team For Tinubu’s Re-election

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5 hours ago

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September 26, 2026

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The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Nyesom Wike, has announced plans to set up and lead campaign teams for President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid in the FCT and Rivers State.

It was reports that Wike made this known on Friday during an inspection of the ongoing Phase Two construction of the Kuje-Gwagwalada road dualization project in Chikuku, Abuja.

The minister said he would personally head the campaign structure in the nation’s capital and his home state, Rivers, as preparations for the 2027 general elections gather momentum.

He said political parties were already reorganizing ahead of the election, adding that supporters of Tinubu from different political platforms had also begun preparing their campaign structures.

He said: “The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), I believe, is putting itself together for an aggressive campaign. For us who are supporting Mr President from different political platforms, we have put our machinery ready to fully kickstart. Very soon, I will inaugurate the campaign team for Tinubu in the FCT and Rivers State, which I will lead. All elements of the APC are ready, Mr President is ready, we are ready and you can see the enthusiasm.

“People are happy, and I don’t know who will contest against Mr President as far as this election is concerned. This is governance, and this is what people expect. It will translate directly into actual votes. It is very obvious. Nobody will be able to claim rigging in the FCT. The ‘rigging’ is the projects we are delivering, making the people happy.

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“This is my first time getting to this side of the road, and I can see how highly populated this area is. You can imagine the enthusiasm and happiness on the faces of the people. That is why we say the essence of governance is to make people happy. When the people are happy, those in authority are happy.”

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Tinubu Makes Demands From Nigerians Over 2027 Election

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5 hours ago

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September 26, 2026

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Key Takeaways

President Bola Tinubu, speaking through House Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas, urged Nigerians to give his administration more time to complete its programmes and reforms.

Tinubu delivered the appeal on Friday at a special Juma’at prayer at the National Mosque, Abuja, marking Nigeria’s 66th Independence Anniversary.

Abbas said Tinubu assured Nigerians not to lose hope, promising peace and development would return as the government corrects past mistakes and missed opportunities.

President Bola Tinubu has appealed to Nigerians to give his administration more time to complete the programmes and reforms it has embarked upon. NigeriaMarket Research

Tinubu made the appeal on Friday through the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, at a special Juma’at prayer held at the National Mosque in Abuja as part of activities marking Nigeria’s 66th Independence Anniversary.

The President, represented by Abbas at the prayer, urged Nigerians not to lose hope in the country, saying his administration was working to address what he described as the cumulative mistakes and missed opportunities of previous governments.

Reflecting on Nigeria’s 66 years of independence, the President described the country as having reached maturity despite the challenges it had encountered over the years.

Abbas, conveying Tinubu’s message, said, “This anniversary, the 66th, by all accounts signifies Nigeria has come of age. A 66-year-old cannot be called a child anymore. Nigeria has become mature, even though when we reflect on the journey from independence to date, we may say it was a mixed journey.

“Nigeria was bedevilled with a lot of issues in the past and opportunities as well. But we thank Almighty Allah for granting us the life and the peace for us to witness this very historic event today.”

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The President urged Nigerians to remain hopeful, assuring them that peace and development would return as the country continued on its democratic path. NigeriaMarket Research

“My message to the country on behalf of the Mr President, the Senate President and all members of the National Assembly is that the citizens should not lose hope.

“Peace is coming back to this country. Development is coming back to this country. Things will get better as we progress in this democracy,” he said.

Tinubu said his administration was focused on correcting what he described as accumulated mistakes and missed opportunities inherited from previous governments.

The President further said Nigerians should consider the direction of his administration as it implements its programmes and reforms. NigeriaMarket Research

He added, “More importantly, citizens should look at the focus of the government of today, that the mistakes of the past—the cumulative mistakes and the missed opportunities of the past are being corrected in this particular administration.

“And I want to categorically make it clear that Nigeria is on the right path; that there is light at the end of the tunnel, and that Nigerians have finished making sacrifices for this country to be great again.

“We should give this government more opportunity for it to come back and finish the good work.”

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PHOTOS: Full List Of Children Of Ex-Presidents, Govs, Lawmaker Seeking NASS Seat

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6 hours ago

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September 26, 2026

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Key Takeaways

Children of former presidents, governors and other political bigwigs are among those seeking Senate and House of Representatives seats ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The Independent National Electoral Commission fixed January 16, 2027, for the presidential and National Assembly polls, as parties intensify preparations for the election.

Named aspirants and incumbents include Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, Iyabo Obasanjo, Yusuf Buhari, Bello El-Rufai, Adamu Atiku and Blessing Onuh across multiple states and constituencies.

As political parties intensify preparations for the 2027 general elections, the children of several former

Nigerian presidents, governors and other prominent political figures are featuring among those seeking seats in the National Assembly.

According to The Nation, a review of candidates and politicians identified in recent reports shows that some already serve in the Senate or House of Representatives, while others seek to enter the National Assembly in the next election.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed January 16, 2027, for the presidential and National Assembly elections, according to its published timetable.

Among those linked to the 2027 National Assembly contests are:

1. Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan – Kogi

Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, daughter of the late former House of Representatives member, Jimoh Abdul Akpoti, is the incumbent senator representing Kogi Central.

She is seeking another term in the Senate on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) platform.

2. Iyabo Obasanjo – Ogun

Iyabo Obasanjo, daughter of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, is seeking the Ogun Central senatorial seat on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) platform.

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Her proposed return to elective politics places another member of a former president’s family in the 2027 National Assembly contest.

3. Yusuf Buhari – Katsina

Yusuf Buhari, son of the late former President Muhammadu Buhari, has been linked to the Daura/Sandamu/Mai’adua Federal Constituency contest in Katsina State.

His reported involvement adds another former presidential family to the list of political families featuring in the 2027 legislative elections.

4. Bello El-Rufai – Kaduna

Bello El-Rufai, son of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, currently represents the Kaduna North Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives.

He is among the politicians featuring in the 2027 National Assembly contests.

5. Chinedum Orji – Abia

Chinedum Orji, son of former Abia State Governor Theodore Orji, is contesting the Ikwuano/Umuahia North/Umuahia South Federal Constituency seat in the House of Representatives.

6. Adamu Atiku – Adamawa Government

Adamu Atiku, son of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, is among those linked to the 2027 National Assembly race in Adamawa State.

Reports have also linked him to the Adamawa South senatorial contest.

7. Blessing Onuh – Benue

Blessing Onuh, daughter of former Senate President David Mark, currently represents the Otukpo/Ohimini Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives.

She is seeking another term in the 2027 election.

8. Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu – Delta

Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu, daughter of former Delta State Governor James Ibori, represents the Ethiope East/Ethiope West Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives.

She is also involved in the 2027 electoral contest.

9. Gabriella Omosede Igbinedion – Edo

Gabriella Omosede Igbinedion, daughter of businessman and politician Gabriel Igbinedion, is associated with the Ovia North-East/Ovia South-West Federal Constituency in Edo State.

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She has emerged as a candidate for the 2027 House of Representatives election.

10. Olumide Osoba – Ogun

Olumide Osoba, son of former Ogun State Governor Olusegun Osoba, represents the Abeokuta North/Odeda/Obafemi-Owode Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives.

He is among the children of prominent political figures seeking National Assembly seats in 2027.

11. Adegboyega Adefarati – Ondo

Adegboyega Adefarati, son of the late former Ondo State Governor Adebayo Adefarati, represents the Akoko South-East/Akoko South-West Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives.

He is seeking another term in the 2027 election.

12. Olamiju Alao-Akala – Oyo

Olamiju Alao-Akala, son of the late former Oyo State Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala, is linked to the Orire/Ogbomoso North/Ogbomoso South Federal Constituency contest in Oyo State.

His participation adds another child of a former governor to the list of politicians featuring in the 2027 National Assembly contests.

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