The Democratic Socialist Movement (DSM) has called for the immediate reopening of local government secretariats in Osun State and the release of withheld federal allocations, condemning both the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for a political deadlock that has crippled grassroots governance for more than five months.
In a statement signed by its state coordinator, Barrister Alfred Adegoke, and secretary, Comrade Kola Ibrahim, the group said the closure of the secretariats has halted essential services, leaving residents without access to key government functions.
The crisis began when sacked council officials elected under former Governor Gboyega Oyetola attempted to return to office despite a Federal High Court ruling nullifying their election. Backed by a separate Court of Appeal judgment, the APC allegedly took control of the secretariats with support from federal authorities and security agencies, triggering violent clashes with PDP members. These confrontations, according to DSM, claimed lives and escalated political tensions.
Security agencies responded by sealing the secretariats, while labour unions launched an indefinite strike across all local governments to protect workers.
DSM also faulted the PDP-led administration of Governor Ademola Adeleke for organising what it described as another flawed local government election, which it claimed failed to produce verifiable results. The group accused the Adeleke government of lacking the political will to restore functional local administration and of prioritising political alliances with the APC over democratic governance.
The statement further criticised the federal government under President Bola Tinubu for allegedly withholding Osun’s local government allocations for four months and attempting to divert the funds to the sacked APC executives. DSM also denounced the withdrawal of a Supreme Court case by the Osun State government that had sought to challenge the federal government’s handling of the funds, calling it an attempt to avoid a political confrontation with the presidency.
The group expressed disappointment in the labour movement at both state and national levels for failing to take a stronger stand on the crisis, warning that continued inaction would only worsen the situation. While backing the strike declared by the NLC and TUC in Osun, DSM urged the unions to mobilise workers and communities beyond industrial action to demand the immediate restoration of the local government system.
Reiterating its call for a “genuine mass political alternative” anchored on socialist principles, DSM said such a movement should represent the interests of workers, youths, artisans, traders, farmers, and the poor, rather than the political ambitions of the APC and PDP.
