Gov. Adeleke Dismisses APC’s NULGE Bribery Claim as Baseless and a Threat to Democracy

Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State has vehemently rejected the All Progressives Congress (APC)’s allegation that he financially induced the leadership of the National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE). The Governor described the claims as unfounded and a serious threat to both the nation’s democracy and the integrity of the judiciary.

Dependable NG reports that the denial was issued in a statement by the Governor’s spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, on Sunday. Governor Adeleke asserted that the APC’s claims were simply another desperate attempt to undermine the rule of law and were a manifestation of the opposition’s disregard for democratic principles.

“The level of impunity on display by the state APC constitutes a serious threat to our democratic life,” the Governor’s statement read. He accused the APC of a pattern of lawlessness, which allegedly started with falsifying a Court of Appeal judgment and ignoring valid court rulings that affirmed the legality of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chairmen and councillors at the local government level.

The Governor further alleged that the opposition had behaved like “political robbers” by invading council secretariats without a legal mandate and attempting to claim public funds through illegal means until they were legally stopped. He maintained that despite necessary interventions from the judiciary, the APC’s open disrespect for court processes has reached an “alarming level.”

The Governor urged the public to disregard the APC’s “new bag of lies,” stating that the workers’ union is an independent body that needs no inducement to protect its own interests. “The fight to stop the attempted looting of the local government treasury is a collective effort of all stakeholders who need no inducement to act responsibly,” he added.

Earlier, the Osun APC, in a statement signed by its Director of Media and Information, Kola Olabisi, had accused Governor Adeleke of paying senior NULGE officials large sums of money to sustain their prolonged absence from work, which has lasted eight months. The APC cited a viral video, claiming that Head of Local Government Administration in the 69 local councils allegedly received ₦750,000, while Directors of Administration and Finance were paid ₦500,000 each, and other Directors and NULGE chairmen received ₦250,000 each to prolong the strike. The APC lamented that the Governor’s action was promoting an illegal work abandonment and causing suffering for grassroots dwellers and traditional rulers.