The battle for control of local government funds in Osun State deepened on Thursday, October 2, 2025, after a fresh court order directed the United Bank for Africa (UBA) to freeze 30 council accounts linked to sacked All Progressives Congress (APC) chairmen.
The order, issued by Justice A. L. Akintola of the Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan, followed an ex-parte application filed by the 30 serving council chairmen. It marks another legal setback for the former APC officials who have been fighting to access statutory allocations despite being removed from office.
A Certified True Copy of the ruling, signed by the court’s Principal Registrar, Mrs. B. O. Somide, was obtained by our reporters on Friday.
In the ruling, Justice Akintola barred UBA from releasing or tampering with funds in the affected accounts, where allocations from the Central Bank of Nigeria had been deposited. He also ordered the bank to immediately place a “Post No Debit” restriction on all 30 accounts until the substantive case is heard.
The chairmen, led by Sarafadeen Awotunde, argued through their lawyer, Olalekan Adeoye, that urgent intervention was needed to stop the ousted APC officials from unlawfully diverting council funds. Adeoye warned that without swift judicial action, the funds could be dissipated, leaving the councils unable to function.
“Unless the court intervened urgently, the funds could be illegally accessed by the ousted APC chairmen, causing irreparable harm to the lawful administrations,” Adeoye told the court.
Justice Akintola agreed, ruling that immediate protection was necessary to prevent “irreversible harm.” The interim injunction, he said, was essential until the substantive motion for an interlocutory injunction is determined.
The affected accounts cover all 30 local government areas in the state, including Atakumosa East, Ife Central, and Osogbo. Each account was individually listed in the order with corresponding numbers at UBA.
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This latest development comes barely a week after the Osun State Attorney-General secured a similar court order freezing the same accounts, underscoring the intensity of the legal tussle.
The case has been adjourned to October 9, 2025, for the hearing of the substantive motion.
