Commissioner for Local Government Affairs, Folorunso Olabode, confirmed the approval, noting that the beneficiaries include vice chairmen, secretaries, councillors, supervisors, and advisers from all 16 local government areas in the state.

In a statement issued in Ado Ekiti, Olabode explained that the severance package amounts to N458,793,960.

READ ALSO:

OSUN ASSEMBLY PASSES BILL TO CONTROL LOCAL GOVERNMENT FINANCES

This approval comes as preparations for local government elections in the state are underway. The Ekiti State Independent Electoral Commission (EKSIEC) recently announced that local elections would be held on December 12, 2026.

The election will mark the end of the current tenure for the incumbent local government chairmen and councillors, with new officeholders expected to take charge after the poll.

EKSIEC Chairman, Justice Cornelius Akintayo (retd.), emphasized that, according to the EKSIEC (Fourth Amendment) Law No. 13 of 2025, the elections will run from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on December 12, 2026. Political parties interested in fielding candidates are instructed to collect Form 001 from the commission’s headquarters.

Source: Punch

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“The one-time noble party I cherished so much has become a shadow of itself.
“Right from the national level manipulative division in the ranks of the party to the local government level, great injustices to our members who have contributed greatly to the party, one is left with no other option than to seek the way forward out of this quagmire.”

He emphasised that his decision to dump the party was not made hastily but his move resulted from “critical analysis after due consultation with our supporters at home and in diaspora.”

Akinde did not reveal his next political destination but hinted that future moves would be guided by his values and followers’ convictions.

Source: Punch

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The announcement was contained in a statement by the Chairman of the Commission, Genevieve Osakwe that the exercise is in line with Section 28 (1) of the Electoral Act, 2022, and Section 23 of the Anambra State Electoral Law, 2024, which empower the Commission to issue election notices.

The commission further announced the election timetable and schedule of activities would be available for collection at the Commission’s office from Friday, November 28, 2025.

The last council polls held in 2024 with the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, winning all the 21 seats while the other political parties withdrew.

Source: The Nation

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The Osun State Government has filed a suit at the Supreme Court against the Attorney-General of the Federation, AGF, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, over the alleged unlawful withholding of statutory allocations to its 30 local government councils since March 2025.

The suit, filed on Monday, follows the withdrawal of an earlier one on the same issue. Osun is asking the apex court to compel the Federal Government to release the withheld funds and halt what it describes as “an unconstitutional and arbitrary seizure” of local government revenues.

In the originating summons, filed by Osun’s Attorney-General alongside senior lawyers Mike Ozekhome, SAN, and Musibau Adetunbi, SAN, the state government is seeking several declarations, including that the AGF lacks the constitutional authority to block local government funds.

Osun argues that the AGF’s action contravenes subsisting judgments of both the Federal High Court in Osogbo, delivered on November 30, 2022, and the Court of Appeal, June 13, 2025. These judgments affirmed the legitimacy of council chairmen and councillors elected on February 22, 2025.

According to the state, the AGF, in a letter dated March 26, 2025, advised that funds be withheld due to a “local government crisis.” However, the state contends that the appellate court ruling had already settled the issue, invalidating the October 2022 local government elections conducted by the previous administration.

Osun expressed concern that proceeding with the Abuja hearing could lead to conflicting judgments, warning that the Chief Judge’s transfer order risks creating a perception of judicial bias.

As of the time of filing this report, no date has been set for the hearing of either suit.

Source: Punch

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The Spokesperson made the clarification in a swift reaction to a statement credited to Com. Wole Oladapo, while speaking on Redio Afinju’s popular personality Interview Programme, ‘Gbagede Oro’. Oladapo had stated that Osun PDP and the Osun State Government have filed an Appeal before the Supreme Court challenging the February 10, 2025 judgment of the Appeal Court.

The Spokesperson to the Governor, Olawale Rasheed, in a WhatsApp conversation with Redio Afinju, stated that “there is no case at the Supreme Court”, making it clear that Osun PDP, and the Osun State Government, has not filed any Appeal before the Supreme Court.

In a statement of retraction forwarded to Redio Afinju after the Interview, Oladapo also stated that he confirmed after the interview, that Osun PDP and the Osun State Government did not approach the Supreme Court as he erroneously said earlier. He stated that he had relied on some information available to him earlier, which is in the public space.

According to him, “I have confirmed that no appeal has been filed before the Supreme Court on the matter. I spoke with several high-ranking members of the PDP and the Osun State Government, including the Spokesperson to the Governor, Mallam Olawale Rasheed, and they clarified that the PDP or the Osun State Government, did not file any appeal before the Supreme Court. I retract the statement made in error, and regret any inconveniences caused any of the parties.”

Recall that the Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Jackson Nurudeen Adeleke, paid a visit to a National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, Chief Bisi Akande, on Tuesday, 4th March, 2025. According to government sources, the visit was part of a series of planned visits to consult Elder Statesmen from Osun State, on the ongoing issues over the administration of the Local Governments.

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He said the party took the decision after wide consultations with stakeholders, claiming that the Ondo State Independent Electoral Commission, ODIEC, cannot be trusted to conduct a free and fair election.

According to him, recent observations and reports point to a troubling pattern of double standards by ODIEC, raising serious doubts about their ability to conduct a free, fair, and credible election.

Read Also: OSSIEC is ready for the 2025 Local Government Election – Odeyemi

Igbabo said the party cannot, in good conscience, confer legitimacy on a compromised process by participating in the election, adding that the withdrawal is in line with their stance on integrity.

To Igbabo, the PDP is committed to sanitising the electoral process in the state.

Earlier, the Ondo State Independent Electoral Commission screened 13 political parties, including the PDP, to participate in the council polls.

But the PDP’s withdrawal leaves 12 parties in the race.

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 The apex court ruled that it is illegal and unconstitutional for governors to continue to receive and seize funds allocated to LGAs in their states.  It maintained that the “dubious practice” which has gone on for over two decades, was a clear violation of Section 162 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.

 In its lead judgement that was delivered by Justice Emmanuel Agim, the apex court held that no House of Assembly of any state has the power to make laws that could, in any manner, interfere with monies meant for the LGAs.

 Stressing that the law mandated that LGAs must be governed by democratically elected officials, the Supreme Court ordered that forthwith, funds meant for the LGAs must be directly paid to them from the federation account.

It further declared unconstitutional the appointment of caretaker committees by governors to run the affairs of the LGAs. It held that the 36 states are under obligation to ensure democratic governance at the third tier of government.

The judgement followed a suit the Federal Government filed to secure financial autonomy for the LGAs.

 Earlier, the court dismissed preliminary objections the state governors filed to challenge the competence of the suit.

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The governor of the state, Sir Sminialayi Fubara, had Tuesday, following the expiration of the tenure of the LGA, directed the Heads of Local Government Administration to take over the leadership of their councils till further directives.

The development sparked a crisis with the outgone chairmen insisting they would not vacate office.

But, Wednesday morning, a memo sighted by our correspondent and signed by Clerk of the House, G.M. Gills-West, reportedly invites 23 persons to appear before the house for screening as CTC chairmen.

The memo which surfaced early Wednesday morning also invited seven persons each from the 23 LGAs to appear before the house to be screened as caretaker committee members.

The memo read: “The Rivers State House of Assembly hereby invites the following nominees for screening and confirmation as Chairmen and members of Caretaker Committees of the Twenty-Three (23) Local Government Areas of Rivers State, pursuant to Section 9(5) of the Rivers State Local Government Law, No.5 of 2018.

“Names of Nominees and their Local Government Areas (See Attached): Date: Wednesday, 19th June, 2024. Time: 8:00 a.m. Venue: Hallowed Chamber, Rivers State House of Assembly, Auditorium, Admin. Block, Rivers State Government House, Port Harcourt.

“The nominees are to come along with twelve (12) sets of their Curriculum Vitae (CV) and, the originals and photocopies of their credentials.”

Source : Vanguard

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