Bolaji Akinola, Special Adviser on Media to the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, has rejected allegations by Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke regarding the handling of local government funds in the state.
Governor Adeleke had accused his predecessor, Oyetola, of allegedly using federal institutions to destabilize governance in Osun.
DAILY POST recalls that these claims were made during a state broadcast shared on the governor’s official X handle on Monday.
In the broadcast, Adeleke alleged that sacked All Progressives Congress (APC) chairmen and councillors were unlawfully occupying local government secretariats.
He also claimed that statutory allocations to Osun local governments had been withheld since February 2025, linking the development to Oyetola.
Reacting in a statement issued on Wednesday in Lagos, Akinola described the accusations as “propaganda, falsehood, and deliberate misinformation.”
He said the allegations were meant “to divert attention from unresolved legal challenges,” insisting that any delay or complication in local government fund disbursement was the responsibility of the Osun State Government.
According to Akinola, the state government initiated several court cases that affected the administration of the councils, thereby complicating financial processes related to local governments.
“No serious government sabotages its own legal standing and then seeks scapegoats for the consequences,” he said.
He denied claims that Oyetola had any influence over local government finances, stressing that the minister had no involvement in the disbursement of council funds.
Akinola also dismissed allegations of police interference, noting that law enforcement agencies operate independently within established command structures.
“The Nigeria Police operate under established institutional command structures and cannot be privately controlled.
“The local government secretariats across the state are open and functional.
“Workers are back at their posts, and councils are carrying out their statutory responsibilities,” he said.
Referring to the Court of Appeal judgment delivered on February 10, 2025, Akinola stated that the APC chairmen were reinstated by the court. He added that the judgment was not appealed and therefore “remains final and binding.”
He further explained that the reinstated officials were elected for a three-year tenure, noting that any disagreement over the tenure is currently before the courts.
