ALGON dismisses Osun Assembly Speaker’s fund diversion claims

By Deborah Oladejo, Osogbo –

The Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON), Osun State chapter, on Monday dismissed allegations of diversion of local government funds, describing claims credited to the Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Hon. Wale Egbedun, as a rant and most unfortunate.

Addressing a press conference at the All Progressives Congress (APC) State Secretariat in Osogbo, the Chairman of ALGON, Hon. Abiodun Idowu, insisted that no diversion of funds has occurred at the local government level since the councils assumed office in February 2025, noting that any alleged diversion could only be traced to the state government since 2022.

It would be recalled that the Speaker of the State Assembly, Mr Adewale Egbedun, while addressing a news conference on Sunday, alleged that billions of naira were diverted by APC local government chairmen on the instructions of the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy through the United Bank for Africa (UBA).

Reacting to the allegations, Idowu said all procedures legally required for opening accounts and for the payment of workers’ salaries were duly observed by the councils and UBA to ensure there was no infraction of the law, adding that the process took more than seven months to be successfully concluded.

“In line with the Local Government Administration Law, no payment was made without prior approval of the legislative arm of the councils. For the umpteenth time, there is no illegality being perpetrated at the local government council level. As such, all the allegations by the Speaker are debunked and outrightly denied as cheap propaganda aimed at unlawfully accessing local government funds,” he said.

Idowu also faulted what he described as repeated attacks on the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola, maintaining that the minister has no role in the administration or finances of local governments.

“The attacks are nothing but subtle jabs targeted at the Presidency and the Supreme Court for putting into effect financial autonomy for the local government councils so as to bring governance closer to the grassroots,” he added.

The ALGON chairman further alleged that the administration of Governor Ademola Adeleke instituted no fewer than 14 court cases, up to the Supreme Court, in an attempt to frustrate council operations, adding that the councils have already won 13 of the cases.