In a strongly worded letter dated August 19, 2025, and addressed to the Attorney General of the Federation, the NBA insisted that “there is no legal justification for the non-release of the allocations” and demanded their immediate disbursement.
The letter was jointly signed by NBA President Afam Osigwe, SAN, and General Secretary Mobolaji Ojibara.
₦46.9 Billion Withheld Since February
Official records reviewed by the Association and made public by sources at the Office of the Accountant-General reveal that Osun’s local councils are owed ₦46.9 billion in total allocations for March (₦11.9bn), April (₦11.2bn), May (₦11.7bn), and June (₦12.1bn). None of these payments have been made.
The NBA warned that the action of the Federal Government “amounts to a violation of the Constitution, a disregard for the Rule of Law, and an affront on clear pronouncements of the courts.”
Citing Supreme Court Precedent
The lawyers’ body referenced the landmark Supreme Court judgment in Attorney General of Lagos State vs. Attorney General of the Federation (2004), which ruled that the President has no powers to suspend or withhold statutory allocations due to local government councils.
“The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has no power to suspend, withhold, or direct the withholding of statutory allocations payable to Local Government Councils. Any attempt to do so constitutes impunity,” the NBA stated.
Osun’s Local Government Dispute
The controversy traces back to the October 2022 Osun local government elections, which were nullified by a Federal High Court that sacked All Progressives Congress (APC) chairmen. While appeals created a legal stalemate, fresh elections held in February 2025 produced Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) officials, whom the NBA describes as “the only valid and legitimate occupants” of the councils.
The NBA noted that political disagreements between the Federal Government and Governor Ademola Adeleke cannot justify withholding local government funds.
Adeleke–Tinubu Meeting in June
Sources confirmed that Governor Adeleke had met with President Tinubu at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa in June 2025, appealing for the release of the funds. Tinubu reportedly reminded Adeleke that he had himself ordered the removal of local government chairmen, implying that this action was linked to the freeze on allocations.
NBA’s Next Steps
The Association has directed its National Litigation Committee and its Section on Public Interest and Development Law (SPIDEL) to initiate engagements with stakeholders and, if necessary, seek judicial enforcement of constitutional provisions.
“Whenever there is disagreement between the Federation and a State regarding statutory allocations, the Constitution provides a clear avenue — the superior courts of record. Resorting to withholding funds is not one of them,” the NBA declared.
The NBA warned that such actions undermine public confidence in democratic institutions and set “a dangerous precedent that could embolden lawlessness at all levels of governance.”
This dispute adds to ongoing tensions over the financial autonomy of Nigeria’s 774 local governments, a key issue ahead of the 2027 general elections.
