By Michael Ofulue, Osogbo

The Osun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has condemned what it described as a manifest abuse of office by the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Mr. Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, over the alleged stoppage of statutory local government allocations in the state.

In a statement signed by Hon. Bamiji Oladele, Director of Media for the PDP in Osun, the party accused Mr. Fagbemi of political bias and constitutional overreach, saying his recent actions represent a “dangerous erosion of the doctrine of separation of powers.”

“We take great exception to what appears to be a deliberate, politically motivated interference in the governance of Osun State, particularly the unwarranted obstruction of statutory financial allocations to our local governments,” the statement read.

In a swift reaction, the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) dismissed the PDP’s allegations as baseless, accusing the state government of political blackmail and judicial sabotage.

In a statement signed by Mogaji Kola Olabisi, APC Director of Media and Information, the party said the PDP’s claims against the AGF were nothing but “a desperate cry from a party on the losing side of justice.”

Olabisi recalled that the same PDP-led Osun government had earlier rubbished the February 10, 2025 Court of Appeal judgment that reinstated APC-elected local government chairmen and councillors—only to now posture as defenders of the rule of law.

“It is important to remind the public that the rule of law has remained constant and has been diligently observed by the Federal Government,” he said.

The APC also reminded Nigerians that the PDP had previously called on the National Assembly to summon the AGF to clarify his position on the same judgment they now oppose.

“The PDP’s moral and legal credibility is in question. They are the ones who have shut down grassroots governance by preventing local government workers from functioning since February 16, 2025,” Olabisi said.

The APC dismissed allegations of bias against the AGF, noting that Mr. Fagbemi’s prior role as counsel to Oyetola was a matter of professional duty, not partisanship.

Describing the AGF’s actions as “ultra vires and a subversion of the rule of law,” the PDP invoked legal maxims such as nemo judex in causa sua (no one should be a judge in his own cause) and audi alteram partem (hear the other side), arguing that Mr. Fagbemi’s prior role as lead counsel to former Governor Gboyega Oyetola in the 2022 election litigation compromises his neutrality.

The PDP further alleged that the AGF, having lost that case at the Supreme Court, has failed to discharge his current duties impartially and is now using his office in a manner that undermines justice.

According to the statement, no court has issued any judgment justifying the alleged withholding of local government funds, making the action not only unlawful but “a calculated attempt to frustrate governance in Osun State.”