Fagbemi, APC Planning To Facilitate Payment Of LG Allocations To ‘Illegitimate People’ Through ‘Questionable’ Court Ruling-Osun NULGE

The National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Osun State chapter, on Monday alleged that there are plans to make the withheld Osun LG funds available to ‘illegitimate people’ through a ‘strange’ court ruling that would be allegedly facilitated by the Attorney General of the Federation, Mr Lateef Fagbemi SAN.

A statement made available to Team@orientactualmags.com noted that Dr. Nathaniel Kehinde Ogungbangbe, who is the state NULGE Chairman, said this during the press conference he presided over in Osogbo on Monday.

 The Attorney General, he alleged, is planning to use a vacation court to carry out a sinister agenda while calling on the judiciary to stand firm against abuse of the court process.

‘As you are aware, there is an ongoing legal battle concerning the disbursement of Osun State Local Government Funds. The information at our disposal has it that the Attorney-General of Osun State had approached the Federal High Court to restrain the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Accountant General of the Federation, and others from diverting these funds to the sacked All Progressives Congress (APC) Chairmen and Councilors, whose removal has already been affirmed by competent Courts of Law.

Let us put the facts straight. On 12th May, 2025, the Osun State Government filed its case before the Federal High Court, seeking an order to protect these funds for the benefit of the people. The Court, in its wisdom, ordered all parties to maintain the status quo. Despite this clear order, we were shocked to discover that attempts were made to open bank accounts for these sacked officials in order to illegally divert allocations. It took public outcry and the ruling of the Court of Appeal on 13th June, 2025, to stop this brazen act of impunity.

Now, months later, the 3rd Defendant – the Office of the Chief Law Officer of the Federation – has suddenly woken up, crying ‘urgency’ and demanding that this matter be rushed and heard in Abuja during the Court vacation. We ask: Why the rush? Why Abuja? Why now?

This so-called urgency is nothing but a self-created urgency. The defendants have been served since 16th May, 2025, yet they failed to act. Only the Central Bank filed a late response; the others did nothing. For them to now turn around in August to cry urgency is an insult to justice and due process.

It is particularly sad to note that despite the fact that the Court bailiff swore an affidavit of service of these processes on the defendants, including the Attorney General of the Federation, his office, in their affidavit of urgency, lied by claiming that they were not served. Fortunately, the bailiff is an officer of the court and his affidavit of service is a public document.

The Court of Appeal has already spoken. It ruled unequivocally that the February 22nd, 2025, Local Government Elections in Osun State remains the valid election. It affirmed the removal of those APC officials. In simple terms: there is no valid tenure for the sacked Chairmen and Councilors. So, what is left to be heard urgently?

Fellow Nigerians, we smell a plot – a plot to use the Abuja vacation court to give through the backdoor what the Court of Appeal has already denied. But we say today: Justice cannot be ambushed. The people of Osun State will not allow their resources to be stolen under the cover of judicial manoeuvres.

The funds in question belong to the Local Governments and, by extension, to the ordinary people of Osun State. Hearing this matter at its originally scheduled time will not deprive our people of their money. But rushing it now, during vacation, raises suspicions that certain powerful interests are desperate to subvert the will of the people and the judgment of the Courts’ he said.

 Dr. Nathaniel Kehinde Ogungbangbe also urged the judiciary to stand firm, resist pressure, and refuse this application for vacation hearing.

‘We call on all Nigerians to remain vigilant. And we warn: any attempt to rob the people of Osun State, particularly our members, through legal shortcuts will be resisted by all lawful means available’ he added-Team@orientactualmags.com

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