Osogbo, Osun State – Muslim stakeholders and clerics in Osun State have appealed for calm over the lingering crisis surrounding withheld local government allocations in the state.
Speaking at a press conference held at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Press Centre in Osogbo, the President of the League of Alfas, Sheikh Khozeem AbdurRaham, alongside the General Secretary, Mallam Abdul Ganiyy Sahid Esra, described the ongoing controversy as “a product of media distortion, political manipulation, and abuse of religious sentiment.”
Background of the Crisis
The dispute dates back to October 2022, when local government elections were conducted under the administration of former Governor Gboyega Oyetola of the All Progressives Congress (APC). However, a Federal High Court ruling in November 2022 nullified those polls, prompting the newly sworn-in Governor Ademola Adeleke of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to dissolve the councils.
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In February 2025, the APC secured a favorable ruling at the Court of Appeal, reinstating its elected chairmen and councilors. This decision heightened political tensions, leading to violent clashes and the tragic killing of a local government chairman.
Despite the appellate court’s ruling, the PDP-led administration went ahead to conduct fresh LG elections on February 22, 2025, a move condemned by the Attorney General of the Federation and national security agencies as unconstitutional.
Conflicting Legal Battles
The crisis has since shifted to the courts, with cases filed across state high courts, the Court of Appeal, and even the Supreme Court, producing conflicting outcomes. While one ruling favored the APC, another decision struck out related cases, which the PDP hailed as a victory.
However, Muslim stakeholders insist that no court judgment has validated the February 2025 elections organized by the PDP.
Religious Leaders Step In
The crisis deepened when, on August 27, 2025, a statement attributed to the League of Imams and Alfas of Osun State urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to release local government allocations to the PDP-led government.
Yesterday, however, the Concerned Muslim Stakeholders and League of Alfas distanced themselves from the statement, calling it misleading and politically motivated.
Quoting the Qur’an (Surah Al-Hujuraat 49:6), the group stressed the importance of verifying information before making judgments:
“If a transgressor brings you news, investigate, lest you harm people in ignorance and later regret your actions.”
Media and Political Propaganda Accused
The clerics criticized sections of the media, some lawyers within the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), and certain social media influencers for spreading propaganda that wrongly blamed the federal government and the APC for blocking funds.
According to them, it was the Osun State Government itself that initiated legal actions preventing the release of allocations.
They challenged proponents of the February 2025 elections to present a valid court judgment supporting their legality — a challenge that remains unmet.
Call for Neutrality
In their closing remarks, the clerics and stakeholders urged:
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Traditional rulers
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Civil servants
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Professional bodies
to remain neutral and avoid turning religious platforms into political battlegrounds.
They also praised President Tinubu’s administration for upholding due process and respecting judicial proceedings, while commending Osun residents for resisting manipulation by misinformation.
“What should have remained an administrative issue has now been turned into a spectacle of legal battles, media wars, religious interference, and political tension,” the group concluded.
