Gov Adeleke Denies Bribery Allegations, Slams Osun APC for Undermining Judiciary

Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has firmly denied accusations by the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) that he bribed the leadership of the National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE).

In a statement released on Sunday by his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, Governor Adeleke dismissed the allegations as baseless, describing them as an attack on democratic institutions and the rule of law.

He accused the APC of spreading falsehoods in an attempt to destabilize governance and discredit judicial decisions. According to the governor, the opposition’s actions demonstrate a dangerous disregard for democratic norms and court rulings.

“The level of impunity on display by the Osun APC poses a serious threat to our democracy,” Adeleke said. “They started by misrepresenting a Court of Appeal judgment to falsely claim the reinstatement of their sacked chairmen.”

He added that despite a valid court ruling upholding the legitimacy of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chairmen and councillors across local governments, the APC had continued to flout the law.

“Like political desperados operating outside the bounds of legality, the APC unlawfully invaded and occupied council secretariats. Their plan to access public funds through illegal means was only halted by legal intervention,” he stated.

Adeleke further noted that although the judiciary had clarified the legal standing of local government leadership, the APC remained defiant, even as the matter awaited final adjudication by the Supreme Court.

“The public must ignore these fresh lies. NULGE is an independent union that doesn’t need bribes to defend the interests of its members. The fight to prevent looting of local government resources is a collective responsibility, not one driven by inducement,” the governor said.

APC Accusations

Earlier, the APC had accused Governor Adeleke of financially motivating NULGE officials to continue their prolonged strike, which has reportedly lasted eight months.

In a statement signed by its Director of Media and Information, Kola Olabisi, the APC alleged that the governor paid senior NULGE officials large sums to sustain their absence from work.

Olabisi cited a viral video allegedly made by a senior NULGE member, claiming that each Head of Local Government Administration in the 69 local councils and Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) received ₦750,000. According to the APC, Directors of Administration and Finance were paid ₦500,000, while other directors and local NULGE chairmen received ₦250,000 each.

“It’s bizarre that a government would go so far as to sponsor and fund a strike against itself,” Olabisi said. “This has caused unnecessary hardship, particularly for traditional rulers and residents at the grassroots.”

He further blamed Governor Adeleke for delays in local government fund disbursement, accusing him of shifting responsibility onto the APC and federal agencies.

“The silver lining is that this government has an expiry date. By November 27, 2026, the APC will return to restore Osun State’s lost glory,” Olabisi declared.

He also criticized NULGE leaders for allegedly betraying rank-and-file council workers by accepting the reported bribes, saying many retirees had missed out on their entitlements during the prolonged work stoppage.