The Association of Local Government of Nigeria, ALGON, Osun State, has berated the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, over its alleged bias in opening local government accounts for ‘sacked’ local government council officials in the state.
The group also called on the Minister of Finance, Wale Edun and the Accountant-General of the federation to respect the constitution and not divert the state local government fund.
Speaking with journalists on behalf of his colleagues at the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Osun ALGON Chairman, Sarafadeen Awotunde, decried the decision of the CBN, Osun branch to deny it account opening form in line with the directive of the President.
He said the elected local government chairman and career officers across the council were at the Central Bank to obtain an account opening form but were denied access into the bank on the instruction of the Branch Controller.
He warned the bank officials of the consequences of conniving with sacked APC elected officials to open illegal local government bank accounts in the state, saying the sacked local government council officials under APC lacked legal ground to open such accounts.
His words, “We heard that some impostors (APC elected officials) went to the CBN in Osogbo following the directive of the President that State Governors should open account for local government with CBN in their regions, we rush to the bank around 3pm on June 23, 2025, but we were told to come back on Tuesday, June 24, 2025.
“To our surprise, when we got there on Tuesday, they locked us out of the bank, our attempt to speak with the branch controller was not successful as security officials were very hostile and insisted that we leave the area.
“We went there with career officers recognised by law to be signatories to the account and all attempt to explain and show them the judgement delivered by the Appeal Court on June 13 to the effect that we are the authentic and legally recognised elected local government council officials did not materialize, as we were not allowed access into the bank”.
Awotunde, therefore called on the Minister of Finance, Accountant-General of the Federation, CBN Governor to call the Osun controller to order in a bid not to plunge the state into unnecessary crisis.
“What is happening in Osun is illegal, CBN don’t need to be embarrassing itself over this matter, we request that they should transfer the Osun Branch Controller, if she can’t do what is right.
“We appeal to Accountant-General of the Federation, Ministry of Finance to do what is right. They should not allow the Branch Controller plunge the state into crisis. We the elected Chairmen have been very peaceful and so not encourage violence, but enough is enough”, he added.
cc: Vanguard
