…Hon Comrade James Onifade grills APC Yes/NO Chairmen
The sudden announcement by the Forum of Osun State Council Chairmen, claiming to have commenced 1,050km of road grading (35km in each of the 30 LGAs, LCDAs, and Area Councils), raises more questions than answers.
Signed by Hon. Idowu Samuel Abiodun (also referred to as Samuel Idowu Abiodun) who presents himself as ALGON Chairman and Ifedayo LG Chairman, the statement parades the exercise as a major grassroots development initiative to ease mobility and support farmers.
But the fundamental question remains: Who exactly confirmed these individuals as the authentic chairmen and councillors empowered to embark on such a statewide project? In the prolonged Osun local government crisis, legitimacy has been fiercely contested between factions. Court judgments, appeals, and political alignments have created parallel claims, leaving the public confused about who truly controls the councils and their funds.
This road grading announcement looks suspiciously like a desperate public relations stunt to cover up the alleged diversion of around ₦50 billion in local government funds. The Osun State House of Assembly has raised serious alarms over illegal disbursements linked to the previous APC-aligned executives, including payments for legal fees and other uses while grassroots workers suffer unpaid salaries and basic services collapse.
Anyone involved in stealing public funds, creating turmoil in the state, withholding local government allocations, or illegally withdrawing and diverting money will surely be punished. No one will go scot-free.
Grading or no grading, those with a hand in destabilizing Osun or tampering with LG resources must be brought to book through due process. The people of Osun are very wise and politically conscious. They have seen enough over the years to know when leaders are performing genuine work and when they are merely engaging in damage control or political theater.
The best way to handle this matter is through transparency, full accountability for any diverted funds, and the immediate release of statutory allocations to properly constituted councils. Token gestures like superficial road grading will fool no one. Osun residents deserve real development, not cover-ups disguised as progress. Justice and good governance must prevail.
E-signed: Hon Comrade James Onifade
Advocate for Good Governance and A Better Judicial System
