…Group alleges councils made no provision for election in 2026 budgets, cites pending court cases, threatens personal accountability for chairmen who release funds
The Watchdogs for Good Governance has accused the Oyo State Government under Governor Seyi Makinde of planning to divert ₦4.278 billion belonging to the state’s 33 local governments to finance the forthcoming council election, which it describes as illegal and enmeshed in litigation.
The group condemned the alleged plan as a monumental disservice to grassroots democracy, accusing the outgoing administration of attempting to commit local government resources to an election whose legality, it claims, remains under judicial challenge.
According to the watchdogs, the proposed expenditure represents a reckless diversion of funds that should be channelled into rural development, basic infrastructure, primary healthcare and other pressing needs of residents across Oyo State.
In an investigation conducted by the group, it alleged that none of the 33 local governments made budgetary provisions for the conduct of the controversial election in their 2026 appropriation budgets.
The group described the alleged funding arrangement as unprecedented in the history of Oyo State, accusing the state government of compelling local governments to finance an election that could ultimately be challenged and nullified by the courts.
The Watchdogs said the state government had confirmed the proposed financial arrangement in a statement issued by the Commissioner for Information, Prince Dotun Oyelade, announcing that the State Executive Council had approved payment to the Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission (OYSIEC) for the council election scheduled for December 29.
According to the statement, the election would be jointly funded by the local governments and the state government, with the councils bearing 60 per cent of the cost and the state contributing the remaining 40 per cent.
Under the arrangement, the group said, the 33 local governments would collectively provide ₦2,566,800,000, while the state government would contribute ₦1,711,200,000, bringing the total projected expenditure to ₦4,278,000,000.
The watchdogs, however, questioned the legal and budgetary basis for the proposed deductions, insisting that the councils should not be compelled to release money for an expenditure they allegedly did not provide for in their approved budgets.
In a strongly worded press statement issued on Tuesday and signed by its Convener, Comrade Ahmed Adeyemo, the group demanded to know the budgetary provision under which OYSIEC would finance the election.
“Where is the budgetary provision for OYSIEC?” the group asked, questioning why local government funds should be used to finance the exercise while residents continue to contend with poor roads, inadequate infrastructure, the absence of accessible and quality primary healthcare, and what it described as poor management of public resources.
Adeyemo accused the government of diverting resources meant for grassroots development to what the group described as a self-serving political exercise.
“Money that ought to be channelled into rural development and the pressing needs of the people is being diverted for a self-serving, misguided election,” he said.
The group further accused Governor Makinde of making a habit of committing public funds to controversial political activities, citing the spending it alleged was incurred on the national convention of a faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
According to the statement, the watchdogs recalled that billions of naira belonging to Oyo State were allegedly spent on the factional convention despite the controversies and litigation surrounding the exercise.
The group referred to the convention as the “Amala Convention” and claimed that the event had since been consigned to history, while the public funds allegedly expended on it remained a reminder of what it described as the governor’s wastefulness.
The statement read in part:
“This deliberate wastefulness by Governor Makinde is unfortunately becoming habitual and needs to be questioned by people of good conscience.
“We recall this was the same way he spent billions of Oyo State’s funds on his PDP faction’s National Convention, despite the exercise being marred in controversies and litigations.
“Today, that Amala Convention has been thrown into the dustbin of history where it rightly belongs, but Oyo’s funds wasted on it remain a tragic reminder of Mr Governor’s wastefulness.”
The watchdogs also alleged that local government areas were experiencing an inadequate presence of council-led projects capable of improving the living conditions of residents.
It argued that, despite the legal framework permitting local governments to expend their resources on their own needs, the Makinde administration continued to exercise what it described as excessive control over the councils.
“People are complaining of total lack of Local Government presence and projects that can make lives meaningful to them. Yet, in spite of the enabling law that allows local governments to spend their monies on their own needs, Makinde is still lording it over them and behaving like an emperor,” the group stated.
A major concern raised by the Watchdogs for Good Governance is the existence of pending legal challenges to the proposed council election.
The group alleged that at least three court cases had been instituted against the conduct of the election by members of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), who, according to the statement, were dissatisfied with the manner in which Governor Makinde allegedly handpicked candidates for chairmanship and councillorship positions across the 33 local government areas.
The watchdogs argued that committing billions of naira to an election facing multiple legal challenges could expose public funds to waste if the courts eventually invalidate the exercise.
It described the proposed expenditure as a serious failure of administrative responsibility and financial prudence.
“Spending billions on an election that is sub judice and likely to be voided by the courts is the height of administrative irresponsibility and financial recklessness,” Adeyemo warned.
The group maintained that the alleged pending cases should prompt the authorities to reconsider the proposed funding arrangement, warning that public resources should not be committed to an exercise whose legal outcome remains uncertain.
The Watchdogs further claimed that council chairmen across Oyo State were under intense pressure from the Agodi Government House to release funds for the election.
Although the group did not identify the officials allegedly applying the pressure or provide further details of the alleged directives in the statement, it issued a stern warning to all 33 council chairmen against releasing local government funds for the exercise.
The watchdogs insisted that the councils’ resources belonged to the people and should be devoted to development projects and essential services rather than an election it described as illegal.
The statement declared:
“We hereby issue a stern and unequivocal warning to all 33 Council Chairmen in Oyo State: Do not touch money meant for your local governments for this illegal election.
“Any Chairman who connives with Governor Makinde to divert council funds for this illegal poll will be held personally liable and accountable to the people.
“The funds belong to the people of Oyo State for development, not for funding an emperor’s party coronation.”
The group said its warning was intended to hold local government officials accountable for any decision to release funds for the election, particularly given its allegation that the expenditure was not captured in the councils’ 2026 budgets.
Reiterating its opposition to the proposed funding arrangement, the Watchdogs for Good Governance maintained that money allocated to local governments should be used to address the needs of residents, including rural roads, healthcare, basic infrastructure and other essential services.
The group accused the state government of prioritising a politically controversial election over the development needs of communities, insisting that council chairmen should resist any attempt to commit local government funds to the exercise.
Concluding its statement, the organisation issued a final warning to the authorities and council chairmen, declaring:
“History is watching. The law is watching. The people are watching.”
The statement was signed by Comrade Ahmed Adeyemo, Convener of the Watchdogs for Good Governance.
Watchdogs Accuse Makinde of Plot to Divert ₦4.2bn LG Funds for ‘Illegal’ Council Poll, Warn 33 Chairmen
