Governor Adeleke Accuses Oyetola of ‘Weaponizing’ Police and Banks to Cripple Osun Local Governments

The political temperature in Osun State has reached a boiling point as Governor Ademola Adeleke launched a scathing attack on his predecessor, Gboyega Oyetola, accusing him of using high-level federal connections to “strangle” the state’s grassroots governance.

In a state broadcast that has sent ripples through the political landscape, Adeleke claimed that Oyetola—currently serving as a minister in President Tinubu’s cabinet—is orchestrating a campaign of sabotage. The Governor alleges that federal institutions, including the Nigeria Police and a major commercial bank, are being used to undermine the authority of the Osun State government and its recently elected local officials.

At the heart of the crisis is a “turf war” over local government secretariats. According to Adeleke, APC-affiliated chairmen and councillors, whose tenures supposedly ended in October 2025, have refused to vacate their offices. The Governor insists they are being “emboldened” by police units acting on orders from Abuja, effectively creating a parallel government at the local level.

“It is a brazen contempt for the law,” Adeleke declared, pointing out that his administration successfully conducted fresh local government polls in February 2025. However, the federal government has yet to release a staggering ₦131.5 billion in allocations meant for these councils, leaving many local projects at a standstill.

While Oyetola has so far remained silent on these specific new charges, the Osun APC has previously maintained that their officials are the only “legally recognized” leaders and are simply waiting for the courts to have the final say. They have urged the Governor to stop the “blame games” and allow the judiciary to resolve the tenure dispute, which is scheduled for hearing on February 3.

For the people of Osun, the “war of the governors” is more than just political drama—it’s a financial crisis. With billions in funds stuck in Abuja and secretariats under lock and key, the promise of local government autonomy feels further away than ever. As both sides prepare for the upcoming court date, the state remains in a tense “wait-and-see” mode to see who will blink first in this high-stakes battle for control.