The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (AG-F) have denied claims that withheld financial allocations meant for Osun State Local Governments were secretly released to council chairmen and councillors elected in 2022 on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
At the resumed hearing of a suit before the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Monday, CBN’s counsel, Murtala Abdulrasheed (SAN), and AG-F’s lawyer, Tajudeen Oladoja (SAN), dismissed the allegation as a mere rumour.
Their rebuttal followed a submission by Musibau Adetunbi (SAN), counsel to the Osun State Government, who alleged that the disputed funds were released last week Thursday and Friday to the APC officials, whose tenure is due to expire on October 22.
Adetunbi argued that the alleged release contravened an earlier court order directing parties to maintain the status quo pending determination of the suit. He further claimed the disbursement was made through special accounts opened in United Bank for Africa (UBA).
The plaintiff’s counsel told the court that, upon learning of the development, the state government secured a restraining order from a High Court in Oyo State—since courts in Osun are currently on strike—directing UBA not to disburse the funds. He said copies of the order had been served on UBA, the CBN, and the AG-F but admitted he had no documentary proof in court to support the claim of service.
In response, Abdulrasheed and Oladoja maintained that without evidence, the allegation could not stand. “What we have here is nothing but rumour,” they told the court.
After hearing arguments on both sides, the court also entertained submissions on the plaintiff’s motion seeking transfer of the case back to the Osogbo Division of the Federal High Court. The matter was originally filed in Osogbo but moved to Abuja on the directive of the Chief Judge, following a request from the Attorney-General of the Federation.
