By Michael Ofulue, Osogbo

The lingering crisis rocking the local government administration in Osun State has taken a new turn as fourteen reinstated council chairmen elected under the All Progressives Congress (APC) and a factional leadership of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) have dragged parties involved in the matter before the Osun State High Court in Ikirun, headquarters of Ifelodun Local Government Area.

The court matter, which was originally scheduled for hearing on April 15, 2025, was adjourned to May 8, 2025, due to a clash with the Easter holidays.

Recall that a Court of Appeal judgment delivered on February 10, 2025, had overturned an earlier verdict of the Federal High Court which sacked the elected council officials who were voted into office on October 15, 2022. Following the judgment, the APC chairmen and councillors resumed office on February 17, 2025.

However, since February 16, 2025, some senior local government staff have refused to report for duty. According to the APC, this refusal is being orchestrated by a faction of the NULGE loyal to the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state.

In a statement made available to newsmen in Osogbo, the APC Director of Media and Information, Kola Olabisi, said the PDP-backed NULGE faction has been using the excuse of safety concerns to prevent civil servants from resuming duties, thereby stalling governance at the grassroots.

“The matter took a disturbing turn when the partisan leadership of NULGE filed a case in court, praying for the reinstated APC officials to be sacked and replaced with PDP candidates purportedly selected through a controversial election conducted on February 22, 2025,” the statement read.

Olabisi described the conduct of the NULGE leadership as strange and unprecedented, accusing the Adeleke-led administration of orchestrating the crisis to cripple local governance across the state.

“It is on record that since the strike action was initiated at the instance of NULGE, governance at the grassroots has been paralysed. The local government secretariats remain shut, and this has led to untold hardship for residents and loss of revenue running into millions of naira monthly,” Olabisi said.

He added that what he termed “self-destruction” by the state government is a deliberate sabotage of local government administration. He noted that fast checks reveal a covert sponsorship of the crisis by the Adeleke administration, aimed at destabilising the reinstated APC officials.

Olabisi further stated that while the local government workers were on strike, a controversial NULGE election was held in Ede — Governor Ademola Adeleke’s hometown — where only the government’s preferred candidate was allowed to contest. According to him, the alleged irregularities in the union’s election are responsible for the unending internal conflict within NULGE.

In a move that has raised eyebrows, the NULGE leadership, despite being on strike, joined other labour unions on May Day to symbolically present a metaphorical key to the governor’s office to Adeleke, which the APC described as an act of political allegiance rather than union solidarity.

“It is ironic that NULGE members continue to draw salaries without working, yet chose to honour Governor Adeleke with a symbolic gesture during May Day celebrations,” Olabisi stated.

He lamented the economic loss the state has incurred due to the continued closure of the local council offices and called on labour leaders to prioritise the welfare of the people above political sentiments.

“The present hardship caused by the NULGE-led closure of councils should concern every well-meaning citizen and union leader. History will not be kind to those who mortgage public interest for partisan gains,” he warned.

According to him, the court case initiated by the NULGE faction is not in the interest of the workers but is aimed at ousting the lawfully reinstated APC chairmen and replacing them with candidates of the PDP.

Olabisi also expressed disappointment at the sudden silence of the national leadership of NULGE after a recent visit to the state. He said the national body, which had earlier condemned the state chapter’s actions, suddenly changed tone and left without addressing the issues raised.

He alleged that the NULGE national president, who hails from Jigawa State, may have no direct concern for developments in Osun, thereby compromising the union’s credibility.

“Many workers willing to return to their duty posts have been intimidated by union leaders who have shut down the council offices since February 16. This has robbed Osun residents of basic services and worsened the hardship already being faced,” Olabisi added.

As the legal battle unfolds, stakeholders are watching keenly to see how the court will determine the legitimacy of the council officials and the role of the union in the ongoing political crisis.