LG allocation: Group says Osun NLC strike unnecessary, politically motivated

By Deborah Oladejo, Osogbo —

The World Institute for Peace has faulted the three-day warning strike embarked upon by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Osun State over the lingering local government allocation crisis, describing it as political grandstanding aimed at patronising the state government, intimidating the judiciary or blackmailing the Federal Government.

The executive director of the organisation, Lamina Omotoyosi, stated this on Monday during a press conference at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Correspondents’ Chapel, Osogbo, describing the strike as needless, deceptive and a deliberate attempt to ground the state’s economy and potentially trigger civil unrest.

Omotoyosi said the strike was politically motivated and intended to blackmail the judiciary, adding that the local government crisis in Osun State remained the subject of several litigations.

He argued that the dispute over local government allocations was still pending before courts of competent jurisdiction, insisting that the release of the funds could not be secured through industrial action while the judicial process was ongoing.

“The fundamental questions that the Osun NLC should provide answers to are: Who is withholding the local government allocations? Why are the allocations allegedly being withheld? And why were the allocations released recently to the 2022-elected local government administration in Osun State? The straightforward answer to these questions is the court, the court and the court,” he said.

“Therefore, if the courts are yet to reach a final determination of the matter, who has the authority to either stop or authorise the release of the allocations? Certainly, no other institution can legitimately override the judicial process. What cannot be obtained through the courts cannot be secured through industrial action.”

Omotoyosi urged labour unions to pursue constructive dialogue with the parties involved in the litigations and consider an out-of-court settlement, suggesting that their recent inclusion in President Bola Tinubu’s Campaign Council, as announced by Governor Ademola Adeleke, could provide an opportunity for an amicable resolution.

He also questioned whether the NLC expected the Federal Ministry of Finance or the Central Bank of Nigeria to release the funds in disregard of subsisting court orders, saying the strike raised serious questions about the union’s intentions.

While appealing to the labour movement to reconsider its position in the interest of Osun State, Omotoyosi called on the police and other security agencies to strengthen security across the state and protect public and private facilities.