The Concerned Muslim Stakeholders and League of Alfas in Osun State have faulted what they described as the needless involvement of pressure groups, royal fathers and religious leaders in the ongoing debate over local government allocations in the state.
Speaking at the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Press Centre, Osogbo, on Tuesday, the group said a statement by the League of Imams and Alfas, Osun State Chapter, calling on President Bola Tinubu to order the release of the state’s allocations, was misleading.
According to the statement signed jointly by Sheikh Khozeem AbdulRaham, President and Mallam AbdulGaniyy Sahid Esra, Secretary General, “the release by the League of Imams and Alfas led by Alhaji Imam Musa Animasahun is not only false, misleading, unfair, illegal, unlawful but also a product of failure to ground an investigation before taking a position”.
The group questioned the Court of Appeal ruling of June 13, 2025, which it said created confusion by recognising elections that were simultaneously dismissed, warning that such contradictions could throw a whole state into violence and crises.
It further advised traditional rulers in the state to conduct thorough findings before making public statements, in order to “make a balanced position and thereby avoid public embarrassment”.
The statement accused the League of Imams and Alfas of abandoning neutrality and turning themselves into “a religious mouthpiece of the Governor Ademola Adeleke led-Peoples Democratic Party”.
It also queried why clerics would urge President Tinubu to release allocations to the state government despite the Supreme Court’s July 2024 ruling granting financial autonomy to local governments across Nigeria.
Citing the case of Attorney General of the Federation vs. Attorney General of Abia, it noted that, “Obviously, the League of Imams and Alfas must not claim to be oblivious of illegality involved in such a calling.”
“Governor Adeleke was advised to dissociate itself from all the misleading information being peddled around on the matter or risk being seen as governing the state with deceits, dishonesties, falsities, misleading and cheap propaganda.”
The group commended Osun residents, including artisans, traders and professionals, for not staging protests over the allocations despite what it termed cheap propaganda by political actors.
It also praised President Tinubu’s administration for maintaining peace, law and order by refusing to succumb to pressure.
“The Federal Government deserves commendation for jettisoning bullies of the PDP and the state government parroted by uninformed associations, lobbyists and clerics,” it said.
The statement urged the Osun State Government to investigate workers involved in alleged roles played by the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees, NULGE in the controversy, warning that records must be kept for future generations.
The judiciary was also reminded of its duty to safeguard law and order, as well as to protect its integrity in the face of political disputes.
Quoting the Quran, the group urged Muslims to be vigilant and not be misled by individuals, “parading themselves as mouthpiece of the Ummah whereas all they are concerned about is immediate junk even if it requires they peddle lies.”
They also appealed to clerics, associations, professionals and royal fathers to remain neutral in politics in order to preserve peace and harmony in Osun State.
DAILY POST had earlier reported that the League of Imams and Alfas in Osun State in a resolution contained in a communiqué signed by Imam Musa Animasahun, the Grand Imam of Osun State, called on all parties involved in the local government dispute in the state to comply with the rule of law as affirmed by the June 22nd ruling of the Court of Appeal which confirmed the legitimacy of elected PDP officials.
The League also called the attention of the Federal Government to the increasing pains and hardship the local government crisis is inflicting on the grassroots sector of the society.
The communique was released after a meeting of the League on Wednesday in Osogbo.
DAILY POST also recalled that there has been disagreement between the All Progressives Congress, APC and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, government in the state over the leadership of the local governments.
Muslim stakeholders fault involvement of clerics in Osun LG dispute
