Osun APC, PDP Trade Blame as Local Government Shutdown Enters Third Month

Local government shutdown: A fierce war of words has erupted between the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Osun State as the local government shutdown across the state enters its third month. What began as a legal tussle over control of the 30 local councils has now devolved into a full-blown political crisis, with both major parties accusing each other of deepening administrative paralysis and public hardship.

Since February 17, 2025, civil servants in the 30 local government areas of Osun have stayed away from their offices following a directive issued by Dr. Nathaniel Ogungbangbe, the State President of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE). The directive came in the wake of escalating tensions and deadly violence surrounding the court-backed reinstatement of APC-elected local government chairmen.

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Tragically, the crisis has already claimed the lives of at least six individuals, including the APC chairman of Irewole Local Government, Remi Abbas, fueling widespread fear and insecurity.

APC: Adeleke Orchestrating Strike Through Complicit Union

Speaking to The PUNCH, the APC’s Director of Media and Publicity, Mr. Kola Olabisi, squarely blamed Governor Ademola Adeleke for the prolonged shutdown. He accused the governor of deliberately weaponizing the union leadership to resist APC-backed chairmen, in defiance of a February 10 Court of Appeal judgment that reinstated them.

“The absence of governance at the local government level in Osun State for the past three months without Governor Adeleke making any attempt to resolve the crisis is evidence of monumental failure,” Olabisi stated.

He alleged that the PDP administration was behind the civil service strike, claiming that Adeleke, through a “pliant” NULGE leadership, has sabotaged the operations of the council secretariats across the state.

According to Olabisi, the shutdown has led to significant hardship for residents, many of whom now seek routine administrative services in neighboring states. “The Adeleke administration, which survives on monthly federal allocations, has suffered revenue losses due to this shutdown. Yet, the governor remains unbothered, as long as it doesn’t disrupt his social calendar,” he claimed.

The APC media director further called on the National Assembly and the Presidency to intervene urgently, accusing the state government of holding the grassroots governance structure hostage for political gain.

PDP: APC Seeks Chaos to Justify Emergency Rule

The PDP, however, has fired back, accusing the APC of being the architect of the violence and administrative chaos. Oladele Bamiji, the PDP spokesperson in Osun, defended Governor Adeleke’s handling of the situation, arguing that the governor opted for a lawful and peaceful resolution of the dispute rather than fanning the flames of violence.

“What the governor did was a temporary halt of physical activities at the local governments — a protective measure to safeguard lives and property,” Bamiji said. “That is the hallmark of a responsible government.”

He alleged that the APC’s aim was to destabilize the state by provoking violence, thereby creating the conditions for a possible declaration of a state of emergency. “The APC planned to use the LG imbroglio to plunge Osun into chaos. Adeleke’s approach prevented needless bloodshed,” he said.

Bamiji urged President Bola Tinubu to ignore what he called the APC’s “desperate cry for federal intervention,” accusing the opposition of being unable to accept their 2022 electoral defeat.

“They are bitter because another party now governs Osun. Their talk of ‘federal might’ and reliance on the President to validate their lawlessness is laughable,” he added.

Legal Battle Continues as NULGE Files Suit

Meanwhile, NULGE has taken the matter to court, filing a lawsuit at the Osun State High Court (Ilesa Division). The union is challenging what it calls the “forceful takeover” of council secretariats by the APC-elected chairmen, which it views as illegal and in defiance of due process.

The legal standoff has further complicated an already volatile political landscape, with no resolution in sight. The absence of local government services has left Osun residents caught in the crossfire, unable to access vital services such as birth registrations, health permits, local tax documentation, and social support.

A Deepening Governance Vacuum

Observers warn that the prolonged shutdown threatens the integrity of grassroots governance in Osun State and risks spiraling into a broader constitutional crisis if not resolved quickly. The continued politicization of the situation—fueled by rival party narratives, union activism, and legal ambiguity—has only widened the trust gap between the government and the governed.

As the local government system remains crippled and the blame game continues, what is clear is that ordinary Osun citizens are paying the price for a power struggle that shows no sign of abating.