Osun Council Chairmen Protest, Warn Osun Government, Judiciary Against Disrespect to Rule of Law

Following the adjournment of illegal criminal trial of the banker (United BANK for Africa) to the Osun State Local Government Councils scheduled for Friday 17th April, 2026 by Magistrate A. A. Adeyeba of Osogbo Magistrate Court on Charge No. Mos/601C/2025 filed against the UBA and its seniors staff, the Osun State Local Government chairmen and councillors under the umbrella of All Local Governments Association of Nigeria, ALGON on Wednesday protested against the continued disobedience to a valid court orders and judgments by the Osun State Judiciary through the said Magistrate Adeyeba and the Osun State Government led by Senator Ademola Adeleke to intimidate, harass, humiliate the Bank and its staff and perverse the course of justice. 

The Council Chairmen armed with several placards of different inscriptions peacefully stormed the streets of Osogbo in procession from Lameco to Okefia towards High Court Gate premises where they addressed the media.

Recall that the Council Chairmen had earlier raised a serious alarm over what they described as gross judicial rascality, impertinence and a real invitation to anarchy when Magistrate A. A. Adeyeba and the Osun State Government flagrantly disobeyed an extant and valid Orders of the High Court of Osun State granting Leave to the United Bank for Africa to quash the criminal charges leveled against the Bank by the state government and order to further stay proceedings in the premeditated trial.

Addressing the media, Chairman, Ejigbo LCDA Hon. Olayanju Kolapo frowned over what he described as dangerous disobey and abuse to court orders and judgments of courts at various levels by the Adeleke's government and the Osun State Judiciary under the watch of the Magistrate. 

He said: "The Osun State Government commenced a criminal trial against the UBA and some of its senior officials and the criminal charge is in respect of funds under the Local Government Councils in Osun State which the Supreme Court has said are meant for the Local governments on the ground of the Financial Autonomy. 

"Our APC reinstated Chairmen and Councilors are those in the councils and as a result of which the Osun State Government wants to use the back door at a Magistrate Court to over rule the decision of the Supreme Court on financial autonomy. The Osun State government had instituted more than fourteen cases inclusive of that of the Supreme Court delivered in December 2025 and they have equally failed. 

"The UBA then approached the High Court for a judicial review of the purported trial at the Magistrate's court and the High Court granted an injunction stopping the proceedings at the Magistrate's court. The Osun State Government rushed to the Court of Appeal over the matter before the High Court and the matter is pending. 

"While the matter is pending and the orders are subsisting, the Magistrate overruled the High Court and went ahead with the matter which is also pending at the Court of Appeal. This is an unprecedented disrespect and disregard to the rule of law under the Osun State Judiciary. There must be a legal end to this invitation to anarchy in Osun State", he said. 

Speaking in turns, Chairman Obokun Local Government, Engr. Maruf Ogundipe, Chairman Ife Central-West and Osun ALGON Secretary, Hon. Bisi Oladosu, and Chairman Obokun LCDA, Hon. Samuel Owoeye, condemned arbitrary use of judiciary by the Osun State government to clampdown on local government administration in the state.