Osun Local Government Crisis: Muslim Stakeholders Slam Clerics, Royal Fathers Over ‘Misleading’ Statements
By Joseph Iyaji | Akahi News
The ongoing political tussle between the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) government in Osun State over local government leadership has taken a new twist as Concerned Muslim Stakeholders and the League of Alfas in Osun faulted what they termed the “needless involvement” of pressure groups in the matter.
Addressing journalists on Tuesday in Osogbo, Sheikh Khozeem AbdulRaham, President of the group, criticised the League of Imams and Alfas, Osun State Chapter, for calling on President Bola Tinubu to order the release of the state’s allocations, describing the statement as “misleading and unfair.”
Stakeholders Fault Religious Leaders’ Involvement
According to the group, religious leaders and royal fathers should remain neutral rather than make politically charged comments that could worsen the situation.
“The Federal Government deserves commendation for maintaining peace and law and order by refusing to succumb to the bullies of the PDP and the state government, parroted by uninformed associations, lobbyists and clerics,” AbdulRaham said.
Reading the group’s recommendations, Mallam AbdulGaniyy Sahid Esra, Secretary General, criticised the League of Imams and Alfas led by Alhaji Imam Musa Animasahun, accusing them of making baseless allegations without proper investigation.
“Their release was not only false but also unfair, illegal, and unlawful, a product of failure to ground an investigation before taking a position,” he said.
Court Rulings and Allocation Disputes
The stakeholders also questioned the Court of Appeal ruling of June 13, 2025, which they said created confusion by recognising elections that were simultaneously dismissed. They warned that such contradictions could spark unrest across the state.
They further queried why clerics would urge the Federal Government to release funds to the state despite the Supreme Court’s July 2024 ruling granting financial autonomy to local governments nationwide.
Citing the case of Attorney General of the Federation vs. Attorney General of Abia, the group noted that the call for allocations violated constitutional provisions.
Calls for Neutrality and Investigations
The statement accused the League of Imams and Alfas of turning themselves into “a religious mouthpiece of the Governor Ademola Adeleke-led PDP” and urged the governor to distance himself from what they described as “cheap propaganda” to avoid public distrust.
They also called on the Osun State Government to investigate alleged roles played by the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) in the controversy, saying records must be preserved for future generations.
Appealing to clerics, royal fathers, and associations, the group urged all stakeholders to remain neutral to preserve peace and harmony in the state.
Meanwhile, the League of Imams and Alfas had earlier expressed concerns over the hardship the local government crisis is causing at the grassroots level, calling for immediate intervention from the Federal Government.
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