Osun Workers Threaten Tinubu: No Votes For You Without Release Of Over N216bn Local Govt Funds
Lamenting the continued withholding of statutory allocations due to their local government councils, workers in Organised Labour in Osun State have declared that they could not guarantee the support and votes of employees, pensioners and their families for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027.
Estimates put the unpaid allocations at N216 billion by September 2026, resulting from
Addressing newsmen on behalf of other unions, in Osogbo, on Monday, the Chairman, NLC, Osun State chapter, Christopher Arapasopo, said the body’s position was informed by the hardship allegedly inflicted on local government workers and pensioners following the non-release of council allocations since February 2025.
He said, “For now, the Organised Labour in Osun State cannot guarantee the support and votes of workers, pensioners, and our families for the re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“This position arises from the continued withholding of Local Government allocations and the attendant hardship imposed on workers, pensioners and our dependents. We can no longer pretend that we are happy when we are suffering!”
He added that, “The Organised Labour also confirms the peaceful picketing of United Bank for Africa (UBA) branches across Osun State will commence soon.
“The exercise is aimed at demanding an end to the disputed disbursement of Local Government allocations and ensuring that all outstanding funds are released into the appropriate accounts of constitutionally valid Local Government administrations.
“We urge all participating unions and workers to maintain discipline and ensure that the exercise remains peaceful and lawful.”
It would be recalled that NLC had directed its affiliate unions to embark on a three-day sympathy strike following the expiration of a seven-day ultimatum issued over the continued withholding of statutory allocations meant for local government councils in the State.
Addressing newsmen on Monday, the Executive Director of World Institute for Peace, Lamina Omotoyosi on Monday, accused the labour movement of attempting to intimidate the judiciary and create unnecessary economic hardship for residents of the state.
Reacting to the development, Omotoyosi argued that the ongoing local government allocation crisis was a legal matter that should be resolved through the courts rather than industrial action.
He expressed concern that the strike could undermine the judicial process, insisting that the labour movement should have pursued constructive engagement with all parties involved in the litigations.
He said, “the labour movement should demonstrate a better understanding of the legal issues surrounding the local government crisis rather than resorting to industrial action while the matter remains unresolved in court.
“We have no reservation in concluding that the strike is being embarked upon in bad faith and is politically motivated, with the intention of blackmailing the judiciary and creating a possible atmosphere of anarchy in the polity.”
The Federal Government withheld statutory financial allocations for Osun State’s 30 local government councils due to a protracted political and legal dispute between the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) over the control and leadership of the councils.
Following local government elections held in Osun State in February 2025, a power tussle erupted between chairmen and council members elected on the PDP platform and those backed or claiming legitimacy from the Federal ruling APC, over previous council tenure.
The Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) advised that statutory allocations to the councils be withheld starting around early 2025 pending the resolution of the local government leadership crisis. Governor Ademola Adeleke accused the Federal administration of withholding the funds for political reasons.
The frozen funds severely affected the payment of primary school teachers, health workers, local staff, traditional councils, and pensioners.
In December 2025, the Supreme Court delivered a split 6–1 judgement where it struck out a suit brought by the Osun State Government on procedural grounds (ruling that the state Attorney General lacked the standing to sue on behalf of the councils and that only the individual elected and inaugurated council members could file).
However, the apex court explicitly rebuked the Federal Government, calling the fund seizure a “grave breach of the 1999 Constitution” and an unlawful action, while urging that funds be paid directly to local accounts.
