The Osun State Government has filed a fresh suit at the Supreme Court against the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), accusing the Federal Government of unlawfully withholding statutory allocations meant for its 30 local government councils since March 2025.
The suit, filed on August 25, 2025, follows an earlier one withdrawn by the state but reintroduced amid claims that the AGF ignored valid court rulings affirming the legitimacy of the elected council officials.
Represented by its Attorney-General and a legal team led by Mike Ozekhome (SAN) and Musibau Adetunbi (SAN), Osun is seeking an order compelling the Federal Government to release the withheld funds and halt what it describes as “an unconstitutional and arbitrary seizure” of local government revenues.
The state argues that the AGF’s directive contained in a March 26, 2025 letter citing a “local government crisis” is baseless, given that judgments from the Federal High Court (November 30, 2022) and Court of Appeal (June 13, 2025) had already settled the dispute, nullifying the 2022 polls conducted by the previous administration.
Among its reliefs, Osun is asking the apex court to declare that the AGF lacks constitutional powers to withhold local government funds, that his actions violate Section 287 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), and to grant a perpetual injunction against further seizures.
The state also seeks an order for the immediate release of all allocations withheld since March, to be paid directly into the accounts of the duly elected councils. Additionally, Osun is challenging the transfer of an earlier related case from the Federal High Court in Osogbo to Abuja, warning that simultaneous trials could create conflicting judgments.
Osun insists that continuing to withhold funds threatens the existence and governance of democratically elected local government councils in the state. The suit underscores the constitutional guarantee for the existence of elected local governments and asserts that the AGF, as Chief Law Officer, is duty-bound to enforce court decisions, not undermine them.
The ongoing legal battle highlights tensions over the control of local government finances and the implementation of judicial rulings, with Osun determined to reclaim its rightful allocations and uphold local government autonomy.Osun State Drags FG to Supreme Court Over Withheld Local Government Allocations
The Osun State Government has filed a fresh suit at the Supreme Court against the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), accusing the Federal Government of unlawfully withholding statutory allocations meant for its 30 local government councils since March 2025.
The suit, filed on August 25, follows an earlier action withdrawn by the state but reintroduced amid claims that the AGF ignored valid court rulings affirming the legitimacy of the elected council officials.
Represented by its Attorney-General and a legal team led by Mike Ozekhome (SAN) and Musibau Adetunbi (SAN), Osun seeks an order compelling the Federal Government to release the withheld funds and halt what it describes as “an unconstitutional and arbitrary seizure” of local government revenues.
The state argues that the AGF’s directive contained in a March 26, 2025 letter citing a “local government crisis” is baseless, given judgments from the Federal High Court (November 30, 2022) and Court of Appeal (June 13, 2025) that settled the dispute, nullifying the 2022 polls conducted by the previous administration.
Osun is asking the Supreme Court to declare that the AGF lacks constitutional powers to withhold local government funds, that his actions violate Section 287 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), and to grant a perpetual injunction against further seizures.
The state also seeks an order for immediate release of all allocations withheld since March, to be paid directly into the accounts of the duly elected councils. Osun is simultaneously challenging the transfer of an earlier related case from the Federal High Court in Osogbo to Abuja, warning that simultaneous trials could result in conflicting judgments.
The suit underscores the constitutional guarantee for democratically elected local governments and asserts that the AGF, as Chief Law Officer, must enforce court decisions rather than undermine them.
This legal battle highlights ongoing tensions over the control of local government finances and the enforcement of judicial rulings, with Osun determined to secure its rightful allocations and uphold local government autonomy.
