From Lateef Dada, Osogbo
A coalition of civil society organisations in Osun State, has advised the Peoples Democratic Party-led government and the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, to allow the Supreme Court to settle all the outstanding matters on the local government allocation.
The group, known as The Osun Mastermind (TOM), commended the state government for responding to its advice on the local government impasse and approaching the Supreme Court, saying that the government has just taken a right decision.
Speaking during the monthly state-of-the-state address in Osogbo, yesterday, the Executive Director of TOM, Prof. Wasiu Oyedokun-Alli, urged the government to convene a stakeholder meeting for deliberation on how best to resolve the matter amicably, and also work with security agencies to ensure immediate resumption of local government workers.
Noting that the impasse has crippled development at the local level, the group posited that the path of legality would ensure that the society continues to run like a proper human society.
“You will recall that in our June 2025 edition, we condemned in strong terms, the impasse that is going on in our local governments. We strongly counsel that the parties to the crisis, especially the Osun State Government, should approach the highest court in the land – the Supreme Court, to seek clarifications, as Appeal Court pronouncements had then led the state into a logjam.
“Our counsel then was met with stiff criticism from many pro-government quarters. We were called names for simply advising the government to exhaust all legal possibilities instead of resorting to self-help.
“We are happy as a group that the Osun State Government has finally taken the correct route, and has approached the Supreme Court. This is in the best interest of not just democracy, but the welfare of our people,” he stated.
Oyedokun-Alli called for collaboration with security agencies to provide necessary security cover for local government employees to resume work. He noted that their continued absence from work has been crippling the local governments and it must be stopped immediately.