Osun: APC Chairmen Vow to Recall 1,500 Workers, Pay Monarchs

The political temperature in Osun State soared on Friday as the leadership of the reinstated local government chairmen, under the All Progressives Congress (APC), announced a comprehensive plan to re-engage over 1,500 workers previously dismissed and to clear all outstanding salary arrears owed to traditional rulers. This major policy decision follows the highly controversial release of six months of federal allocations to the councils, a fund that had been withheld since February 2025 amidst a fierce legal and political contest for the control of the state’s third tier of government.

Dependable NG reports that this significant pronouncement, made by the Chairman of the APC faction of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Honourable Abiodun Idowu, signals a bold move by the APC to reassert its authority and deliver on campaign promises. Speaking at a press briefing in Osogbo, Idowu emphasized that the release of the federal funds in September into accounts operated by the APC chairmen had provided the necessary resources to restore effective grassroots governance. He forcefully reaffirmed the legitimacy of the APC-led executives as the authentic administrators of the 30 local government councils and the area office, a claim rooted in the Court of Appeal judgment delivered on February 10, 2025.

Idowu reminded the citizens that their mandate, which was secured during the October 2022 local government elections, was only temporarily suspended by the incumbent administration of Governor Ademola Adeleke. “Our mandate, freely given by the people of Osun State, was temporarily interrupted but now restored by the court. We are back to serve and deliver dividends of democracy at the grassroots level, which have been sorely missed during the period of political interference,” he stated.

The central pillar of the new plan is the immediate recall of the over 1,500 public servants whose employments were terminated by the present state government. This mass reinstatement will cover teachers, health workers, and youths previously engaged under critical social investment programmes championed by the former Governor Adegboyega Oyetola’s administration, specifically the O’YES cadets and O’Meal vendors. Idowu further promised financial restitution, assuring that beyond the recall, the council executives would also offset part of the workers’ accrued salaries and emoluments. “Plans are ongoing to recall and re-engage the 1,500 teachers employed by the last APC government but sacked by the current administration. We will also recall the dismissed health workers, O’YES cadets, and O’Meal vendors. Beyond recalling them, we will offset part of their salaries and emoluments. This is a policy statement, not politics,” the ALGON chairman declared, aiming to demonstrate executive seriousness.

In a move aimed at bolstering traditional authority and community peace, Idowu confirmed that the backlog of allowances owed to the state’s traditional rulers would also be settled using the released federal allocations. He explained that the welfare of monarchs is regarded as a critical factor in local administration and maintaining stability within communities. “The traditional rulers will also benefit from the new development as we have concluded plans to clear their outstanding allowances and entitlements,” he assured, linking the payment directly to the restoration of funds.

Furthermore, the ALGON chairman escalated the political conflict by directly accusing the administration of Governor Adeleke of allegedly utilizing the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) and other allied groups to actively frustrate and obstruct the timely release of the federal allocations meant for the councils. He lamented that this political meddling had unnecessarily prolonged the financial hardship affecting the local government system, the traditional rulers, teachers, and health workers. “Those funds were meant to drive local development and alleviate financial burdens, but political interference regrettably delayed their release,” Idowu alleged.

Finally, Idowu dismissed recent allegations circulating in the media that the APC-led council executives were attempting to fraudulently divert a portion of the released allocations through unauthorised deductions. He firmly described such claims as malicious and baseless fabrications designed to discredit the legally affirmed return of the council executives to their offices. He concluded by appealing to residents to remain calm and supportive, guaranteeing that the restored local government leadership would henceforth focus exclusively on community development, job creation, and rebuilding public trust at the grassroots level.