Court Extends Order Freezing Osun LG Funds Till October 9

The Oyo State High Court sitting successful Ibadan, connected Friday, extended its Order of Interim Injunction against the United Bank for Africa (UBA), maintaining a no-debit regularisation connected 30 slope accounts into which withheld Osun State section authorities allocations were paid by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

Justice Ladiran Akintola, successful different ruling, extended the bid aft proceeding submissions from counsels contiguous successful court.

Justice Akintola explained that the hold was indispensable to let each parties successful the suit No. 1/1149/2025 – the Attorney-General of Osun State, the Osun State Local Government Service Commission, and United Bank for Africa Plc, to bask just hearing.

Counsel to UBA Plc was absent, but counsel to the court-sacked APC section authorities assembly chairmen, led by Kazeem Gbadamosi, SAN, holding the little for Kunle Adegoke, SAN, who had conscionable filed an exertion for joinder, was present.

However, counsel to the plaintiffs, Musibau Adetunmbi, SAN, argued that helium needed clip to survey the 2 applications filed by the ex-chairmen’s counsel.

He explained that the exertion for joinder and different 1 challenging the court’s territorial jurisdiction were filed connected Thursday and Friday, respectively.

Adetunmbi, portion citing points of law, insisted that the ex-APC assembly chairmen lacked the locus standi to situation the court’s jurisdiction.

He said the ex-LG chairmen remained strangers to the lawsuit since their exertion for joinder had not yet been decided upon by the court.

On the request for hold of the interim order, Adetunmbi said: “I received the 2 applications yesterday (Thursday) and contiguous (Friday). I volition request clip to survey them arsenic good arsenic reply connected points of law.”

But counsel to the erstwhile APC section authorities chairmen and councillors faulted the statement of his clients arsenic ‘strangers’, arguing that they were straight affected by the court’s Interim Injunction of 26 September 2025.

He contended that, nether the law, his clients had the close to beryllium joined successful the suit.

Gbadamosi, successful the exertion filed connected 2 October 2025, besides challenged the territorial jurisdiction of the tribunal to perceive the matter.

Citing applicable authorities, helium argued: “The tribunal has nary powerfulness successful respect of a lawsuit successful which its jurisdiction is being challenged to widen the bid of beingness span that had expired.”

At the tribunal sitting successful Ibadan connected Friday, further arguments were presented successful the signifier of a further affidavit deposed to by a elder unit of 1 of the 30 section authorities councils.

Head of Local Government Administration successful Boluwaduro Local Government, Mrs. Aluko Rachael Abidemi In her submission revealed that definite individuals were making attempts to siphon assembly funds successful defiance of a subsisting tribunal order.

According to her, an undated missive addressed to UBA by 2 individuals—Mr. Adebayo Oyekanmi and Mr. Lasisi Gbadebo Oyebode—who claimed to beryllium Chairman and Treasurer of Boluwaduro Local Government. In the letter, they instructed the slope to deduct 15% of the statutory allocation and wage it into the relationship of a backstage instrumentality steadfast with UBA.

Mrs. Abidemi, however, informed the tribunal that the said individuals had nary ineligible authorization to marque specified instructions. She stressed that Mr. Oyebode was neither a unit of Boluwaduro Local Government nor its Treasurer, arsenic the presumption of “Treasurer” does not beryllium successful Osun’s section authorities structure.

According to her, by the 2025 Guidelines for Local Government Administration successful the state, lone the Director of Finance and the Director of Administration & General Services are recognised arsenic signatories to section authorities accounts. She besides identified the existent officers holding those positions and tendered exhibits to corroborate their status.

The claimants maintained that the substance of who the morganatic chairmen of the councils remains sub judice earlier the Supreme Court successful Suit No. SC/CV/773/2025, and warned that disbursing the funds nether the contiguous circumstances would undermine justice.

Fielding questions from reporters aft the sitting, counsel to the Attorney-General of Osun State, Adetunmbi (SAN), pointed retired that a related lawsuit connected the funds is already earlier the Supreme Court and has been fixed for proceeding connected 7 October.

Harping connected Friday’s ruling, helium said, “The crux of the substance is to safeguard the wealth successful contented pending the Supreme Court’s determination connected Tuesday, 7 October 2025.

“Our contention is that adjacent those who paid the wealth knew the substance was already earlier the court. They should person respected the Supreme Court by holding connected to the money.

“Let the Supreme Court speak, everybody volition beryllium happy, but for you to wage conscionable similar that is not acceptable.