The Minority Caucus of the House of Representatives has again called on the federal government to immediately release statutory allocations due to local government councils in Osun State, warning that failure to do so would compel lawmakers to resort to legislative measures.
In a fresh statement issued Sunday, the caucus urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to direct all relevant agencies to comply with constitutional provisions and court rulings by releasing the funds, which have allegedly been withheld since February 2025.
The caucus, led by Minority Leader Rep. O.K. Chinda, alongside Rt. Hon. Dr Ali Isa (Minority Whip), Rt. Hon. Aliyu Madaki (Deputy Minority Leader), and Rt. Hon. George Ozodinobi (Deputy Minority Whip), expressed concern that the prolonged withholding of the allocations had plunged workers, pensioners, and families into economic hardship while stalling grassroots development across Osun’s councils.
Quoting from their statement titled “Let Osun LGAs Breathe”, the lawmakers said:
“The withholding of these allocations is not only unconstitutional but also a blatant disregard for the rule of law and judicial pronouncements. Section 162 of the 1999 Constitution is clear that local governments are entitled to their allocations from the Federation Account. The Supreme Court has also affirmed in A.G. Lagos State vs. A.G. Federation (2004) that the President has no power to suspend or withhold such funds.”
The caucus further noted that multiple court rulings — including those of the Court of Appeal (10 February and 13 June 2025) and the Osun State High Court (21 February 2025) — had affirmed the legitimacy of the elected officials of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to manage the allocations.
“The continued withholding of these funds undermines local government autonomy, weakens Nigeria’s federal structure, erodes public confidence in democratic institutions, and sets a dangerous precedent for impunity,” the caucus warned.
Highlighting the economic impact, the lawmakers stressed that salaries, pensions, healthcare, education, and infrastructure projects had been paralysed, with small businesses and local economies suffering from reduced purchasing power.
They urged the Federal Government to act swiftly in the interest of justice and governance.
“We call on the President and Commander-in-Chief to immediately direct all relevant authorities to release all funds meant for Local Government Councils in Osun State without further delay,” the caucus said, adding that it would not hesitate to deploy legislative action if the situation persists.