₦airaland Forum

Adeleke must refund seven month's LG Allocations, AGF tells S'Court

The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, has urged the Supreme Court to compel Osun State Government to refund seven months’ local government allocations to the Minister of Finance.

The request was contained in a response filed through Fagbemi’s counsel, Chief Akin Olujimi SAN, to a suit instituted by the government via its attorney general.

Osun had sued the AGF as the sole defendant, alleging that the Federal Government failed to release the statutory allocation due to its 30 local government councils for March 2025.

In[b] the suit marked SC/CV/379/2025, the state government claimed that whenit queried the Ministry of Finance over the unpaid allocation, the Minister of Finance, Wale Odun, allegedly said he was acting under the AGF’s directive.

However, the AGF denied the claim, challenging the legitimacy of the suit, accusing the state government of contempt for allegedly disobeying a July 11, 2024, Supreme Court judgment.
[/b]
Fagbemi argued that Osun’s reliance on the 2004 case of AG Lagos State v. AG Federation—where the Supreme Court ordered the release of withheld funds to Lagos State—was misplaced.

In a counter-affidavit deposed by the Special Assistant to the President, Taye Oloyede, the AGF insisted that neither he nor the Minister of Finance instructed the withholding of Osun’s LG funds.

Oloyede testified that on May 22, 2025, in his presence, the Minister of Finance denied ever receiving such instructions.

According to the affidavit, Osun State never alleged that the President issued an order, nor did it provide evidence that the LG funds were deliberately withheld.

Oloyede emphasised that direct payment of allocations to LGs requires only that they submit account details to the Ministry of Finance.

He claimed the individuals currently administering Osun’s LGs were elected under the previous APC-led state government and remain in office until October 2025.

He asserted that Osun failed to show that its LGs had submitted their account details to the Finance Ministry.

Oloyede further argued that the plaintiff failed to show that it had the legal authority or consent of the LGs to initiate the lawsuit.

Instead, the affidavit indicated Osun’s intention to use the LG allocations to fund state-level health and education initiatives—directly contravening the Supreme Court’s judgment prohibiting states from managing LG finances.

He also pointed out that an earlier Federal High Court ruling in favour of the Osun State Governor had been overturned by the Court of Appeal.

Fagbemi insisted the Osun State Government was in contempt of the July 11, 2024, Supreme Court order in AGF v. Attorney General of Abia State & Others, which ruled that LG allocations must be paid directly to LG councils and not through state governments.

The order barred states from collecting or disbursing LG funds. Osun, listed as Defendant 29 in that suit, had acknowledged the order but allegedly continued to receive and spend LG funds from July 2024 to February 2025.

The AGF described Osun’s lawsuit as a calculated attempt to gain the Supreme Court’s backing to continue violating its own ruling.

He called it an “egregious contempt” and asked the court to enforce judicial accountability.

"The only way to vindicate the authority of this court,” he stated, “is to order the plaintiff to pay back all LG funds collected between July 2024 and February 2025. These should be remitted to the Minister of Finance for onward transfer to the respective local governments.”

In a five-ground preliminary objection, the AGF argued that: “The plaintiff is not entitled to be heard due to contempt. The plaintiff has no right of appeal against the Supreme Court’s decision.

The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, has urged the Supreme Court to compel Osun State Government to refund seven months’ local government allocations to the Minister of Finance.

The request was contained in a response filed through Fagbemi’s counsel, Chief Akin Olujimi SAN, to a suit instituted by the government via its attorney general.

Osun had sued the AGF as the sole defendant, alleging that the Federal Government failed to release the statutory allocation due to its 30 local government councils for March 2025.

In the suit marked SC/CV/379/2025, the state government claimed that whenit queried the Ministry of Finance over the unpaid allocation, the Minister of Finance, Wale Odun, allegedly said he was acting under the AGF’s directive.

However, the AGF denied the claim, challenging the legitimacy of the suit, accusing the state government of contempt for allegedly disobeying a July 11, 2024, Supreme Court judgment.

Fagbemi argued that Osun’s reliance on the 2004 case of AG Lagos State v. AG Federation—where the Supreme Court ordered the release of withheld funds to Lagos State—was misplaced.

In a counter-affidavit deposed by the Special Assistant to the President, Taye Oloyede, the AGF insisted that neither he nor the Minister of Finance instructed the withholding of Osun’s LG funds.

Oloyede testified that on May 22, 2025, in his presence, the Minister of Finance denied ever receiving such instructions.

According to the affidavit, Osun State never alleged that the President issued an order, nor did it provide evidence that the LG funds were deliberately withheld.

Oloyede emphasised that direct payment of allocations to LGs requires only that they submit account details to the Ministry of Finance.

He claimed the individuals currently administering Osun’s LGs were elected under the previous APC-led state government and remain in office until October 2025.

He asserted that Osun failed to show that its LGs had submitted their account details to the Finance Ministry.

Oloyede further argued that the plaintiff failed to show that it had the legal authority or consent of the LGs to initiate the lawsuit.

Instead, the affidavit indicated Osun’s intention to use the LG allocations to fund state-level health and education initiatives—directly contravening the Supreme Court’s judgment prohibiting states from managing LG finances.

He also pointed out that an earlier Federal High Court ruling in favour of the Osun State Governor had been overturned by the Court of Appeal.

Fagbemi insisted the Osun State Government was in contempt of the July 11, 2024, Supreme Court order in AGF v. Attorney General of Abia State & Others, which ruled that LG allocations must be paid directly to LG councils and not through state governments.

The order barred states from collecting or disbursing LG funds. Osun, listed as Defendant 29 in that suit, had acknowledged the order but allegedly continued to receive and spend LG funds from July 2024 to February 2025.

The AGF described Osun’s lawsuit as a calculated attempt to gain the Supreme Court’s backing to continue violating its own ruling.

He called it an “egregious contempt” and asked the court to enforce judicial accountability.

“The only way to vindicate the authority of this court,” he stated, “is to order the plaintiff to pay back all LG funds collected between July 2024 and February 2025. These should be remitted to the Minister of Finance for onward transfer to the respective local governments.”

In a five-ground preliminary objection, the AGF argued that: “The plaintiff is not entitled to be heard due to contempt. The plaintiff has no right of appeal against the Supreme Court’s decision. The case does not present a genuine dispute to trigger the court’s original jurisdiction under Section 232(1) of the Constitution. The plaintiff has no locus standi to sue on behalf of local governments. Only LGs—not state governments—can seek redress for unpaid allocations. The AGF stressed that Osun State had improperly appointed itself as a ‘watchdog’ over LG funds, despite having no authority to litigate on their behalf.

“If any LG has been wrongly deprived of its funds,” he concluded, “it is the council itself—not the state government—that has the right to sue.”

press9jatv:
Adeleke embezzled Lg funds no be small. That man is very heartless and wicked.

Babangidapikin:
Can you share proof, someone is showing workings up and down, you are busy distracting . I hope the AGF remember today is the Sabbath day, if we kneel down because of him, he won't find it funny.

press9jatv:
Adeleke embezzled Lg funds no be small. That man is very heartless and wicked.

press9jatv:
Adeleke embezzled Lg funds no be small. That man is very heartless and wicked.

Jostoman:
The person that supposed to be AGF for all Nigerians has turned himself to AGF of APC.. make una continue

Reference:
Well, another advisory judgement, not enforceable? Are court judgements worth the paper they are written on these days.

ClearFlair:
That obviously means APC is a very suitable place

AMINDA:
Why the focus on just Osun state? Is local government autonomy working in other states? Tinubu only used it as a bargaining chip with the governors. The initial plan was to empower local government chairmen and circumvent the governors for election purposes. The governors apparently pledged to all support him and in return, they get to control the local government funds despite a supreme court ruling.

Jostoman:
The person that supposed to be AGF for all Nigerians has turned himself to AGF of APC.. make una continue

press9jatv:
Why should allocation of other local governments be used to develop Governor Adeleke's hometown?

Demola Adeleke embezzled the Lg treasury no be small 🤔🤔🤔🤔

Jostoman:
The person that supposed to be AGF for all Nigerians has turned himself to AGF of APC.. make una continue

press9jatv:
https://punchng.com/osun-must-refund-seven-months-lg-allocations-agf-tells-scourt/

Reference:
Well, another advisory judgement, not enforceable? Are court judgements worth the paper they are written on these days.

press9jatv:
Why should allocation of other local governments be used to develop Governor Adeleke's hometown?

Demola Adeleke embezzled the Lg treasury no be small 🤔🤔🤔🤔

Splashme:
The first civilian governor of Lagos State, Alhaji Lateef Jakande, on Tuesday, said that the cancellation of the Lagos metroline project in 1985 was a major mistake and disservice to many Nigerians.

Jakande spoke in Lagos during the launch of a book which chronicled his life in politics and journalism.

The book, entitled, ‘Jakande: Leadership in Action’ is written by Dr. Bola Olaosebikan, who told the audience at the event that the All Progressives Congress presidential candidate, Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), was not responsible for the cancellation of the project.

Jakande said, “Reflecting on the metroline project, I think it is a major disservice to many Nigerians. Imagine how many people would have benefitted. It would have made life easier and changed the face of transport in Lagos. Whoever cancelled it or gave the advice towards its cancellation didn’t do right.”

The former governor asked Nigerians not to vote for unserious leaders in the coming polls, saying the elections presented Nigerians with a good opportunity that should not be squandered.

Expressing the hope that Nigeria would soon overcome its developmental challenges, Jakande said hope would be actualised faster if credible people emerged as leaders in the next dispensation.

He said, “This book comes at a very auspicious time in Nigeria’s history as we need leaders who can act. We need leaders who would not compromise the standards of good governance. God has blessed this nation the most in Africa, although we have not reached where we should be; with the right leaders, Nigeria would overcome its challenges.”


http://www.punchng.com/news/cancelling-metroline-a-major-mistake-jakande/

eluquenson:
REVISITING SOME OF THE LATEEF JAKANDE'S GOVERNMENT ACHIEVEMENTS FROM OCTOBER 1979 TO DECEMBER 1983 (FOUR YEARS AND 3 MONTHS) IN LAGOS STATE

* His government built the current Lagos State Secretariat which houses all the state ministries as well as the popular round house hitherto occupied by all subsequent governors of the state.

* His government built the Lagos State House of Assembly complex.

* His government built the Lagos State Television

* His government built the Lagos Radio

* His government built Lagos State University

* His government established General Hospital in zones all over the state with assurance of free health care.

* His government established Teacher Training College and the College of Education.

* His government built low cost houses in Ijaiye, Dolphin, Oke-Afa, Ije, Abesan, Iponri, Ipaja, Abule Nla, Epe, Amuwo-Odofin, Anikantamo, Surulere, Iba, Ikorodu, Badagry, Isheri/Olowu, Orisigun etc.

* His government established the Water Management Board and Waste Disposal Board on the 18th of August, 1980.

* His government constructed the Adiyan Water Works to increase water supply in the state to 18.16 million litres per day.

* His government modernized and expanded the Iju Water Works which was first commissioned in 1915. This increased daily capacity from 159 million to 204 million litres per day.

* His government purchased and commissioned the giant car crusher equipment. The equipment was designed specifically to crush derelict vehicles in Lagos State. It had the capacity to crush 45 vehicles per day.

* His government constructed, rehabilitated and resurfaced Epe/Ijebu-Ode Road, Oba Akran Avenue, Toyin Street, Town Planning Way, Alimosho-Idimu-Egbe Road, Idimu-Iba-LASU Road, the new secretariat road and several others.

* His government constructed Victoria Island/Epe Road and thereby creating an ‘oil rig’ for Lagos State.

* His government established Asphalt Plant for the Department of Public Works.

* His government established Electricity Board for Rural Electrification with provision of street lights.

* His government modernized, expanded and commissioned Onikan Stadium in 1982.

* His government established a singular school system and ensured genuine free education in Lagos State and the beneficiaries of this policy are in different positions of eminence in the country and around the world.

* His government raised the primary schools in Lagos State to 812 with 533,001 pupils (against 605 primary schools with 434,545 pupils he met in 1979) and secondary schools to 223 with 167,629 students (against 105 schools with 107,835 students in 1979).

* His government constructed 11, 729 classrooms with the maximum of 40 children per class between March and August 1980, by 1983, he had constructed over 22,000 classrooms.

* In July 1983, two commercial passenger boats christened "Baba Kekere and Itafaji" to run the Mile 2 - Marina (CMS) route via the lagoons were inaugurated by his government to mark the official launch of the Lagos State ferry services.

* His government took over the ownership and financing of Lagos State Printing Corporation in July 1980

* His government established the first State Traffic Management Authority (Road Marshals).

* His government established small scale Industries Credit Scheme which preceded the EKO bank.

*His government established LASACO Insurance.

*His government expanded existing market and built new ones.

*His government established Traditional Medicine Board.

WHO SAYS 4 YEARS IN OFFICE IS NOT ENOUGH FOR MEANINGFUL ACHIEVEMENTS?

IT'S A FACT THAT 90% OF GOVERNORS IN NIGERIA SINCE 1999 WITH REVENUES AT THEIR DISPOSAL CANNOT BOAST OF A QUARTER OF THESE ACHIEVEMENTS EVEN WITHIN THEIR EIGHT YEARS IN OFFICE.

AMINDA:
Why the focus on just Osun state? Is local government autonomy working in other states? Tinubu only used it as a bargaining chip with the governors. The initial plan was to empower local government chairmen and circumvent the governors for election purposes. The governors apparently pledged to all support him and in return, they get to control the local government funds despite a supreme court ruling.

Krankhead:
Go school youbrefuse. Adeleke pocketed Local govt money. Can't you read?