The Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), in Osun State has appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to urgently intervene in the protracted crisis over local government allocations in the state, which it described as unlawful and detrimental to grassroots governance.
In a statement on Monday by the ALGON state Chairman, Otunba Sarafadeen Abiodun Awotunde, the body also called on traditional rulers across the state to prevail on the President to ensure the release of allocations to what he described as duly elected local government chairmen.
He said the continued withholding of council funds had stalled development and worsened hardship at the grassroots, insisting that allocations should be paid directly to chairmen who emerged from the local government elections held on February 25, 2025.
According to him, traditional rulers, as custodians of culture and institutions closest to the people, have a moral obligation to safeguard democratic governance and protect the welfare of residents at the local government level.
The ALGON chairman alleged that funds meant for grassroots development were being accessed and expended by individuals he described as “expired and illegal Yes/No chairmen,” whose tenure, he claimed, ended in October 2025.
He described the situation as an anomaly and a violation of due process, alleging that public funds were being diverted for personal and partisan purposes rather than for development and service delivery.
“Local government allocations belong to the people. They are meant for development, welfare, and service delivery at the grassroots. The current situation where illegal chairmen allegedly treat public funds as personal property must be condemned by all stakeholders,” Awotunde said.
He specifically appealed to prominent traditional rulers in the state, including the Ooni of Ife, the Owa Obokun of Ijeshaland, and the Orangun of Ila, to jointly seek an audience with President Tinubu and brief him on what he described as the realities on ground in Osun State.
Awotunde also extended the appeal to other monarchs across the state, urging them to intervene collectively in the interest of peace, justice, and the welfare of the people.
He expressed confidence that the moral authority of traditional rulers would draw the attention of the Federal Government to the situation and facilitate the release of local government allocations to the recognised chairmen, which he said would restore accountability and accelerate development at the grassroots.
As of the time of filing this report, the Osun State Government and other parties mentioned had yet to react to the allegations.
