An Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan has dismissed an application by sacked All Progressives Congress (APC) Local Government chairmen in Osun State, ruling that they lacked the legal standing to challenge the court’s ex parte order that had frozen council funds held in United Bank for Africa (UBA).

The sacked chairmen had sought to reverse the order in Suit No. I/1149/2025, Attorney General of Osun State & Anor v. UBA PLC, which froze the council funds. They argued that maintaining the freeze would obstruct local governance and violate the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria. However, none of the applicants or principal parties were present during the court proceedings on Thursday.

Court’s Ruling

Justice Ladiran Akintola ruled that the application was without merit and dismissed it. The judge noted that the sacked chairmen were “strangers to the suit” because they had withdrawn their earlier request to be joined as parties in the case. The court emphasized that the chairmen had no legal interest or claim to the frozen funds, thereby lacking the necessary locus standi to seek the discharge of the ex parte order or to challenge the suit in any manner.

Justice Akintola further explained that the chairmen’s withdrawal of their joinder motion effectively admitted that they had no legitimate basis to intervene in the matter. The judge subsequently dismissed the application “in its entirety.”

The Case Background

Earlier in September 2025, the Osun State Attorney General and the Osun State Local Government Service Commission filed a case against UBA to freeze the statutory local government funds for all 30 local governments in Osun State. The ex parte order granted by the court on September 26, 2025, restrained UBA from releasing these funds, pending the hearing of the motion for an interlocutory injunction.

The plaintiffs argued that allowing the release of the funds could harm the governance and administration of local governments in the state. They requested that UBA be prevented from disbursing the funds until the case had been heard.

Legal Developments

The sacked APC chairmen in Osun State, known as the “Persons Affected” in the case, had filed their motion seeking to intervene in the suit. They claimed that the frozen funds were essential for the proper functioning of the local governments, and that the order could disrupt local governance and development.

However, the court rejected this request, reinforcing the decision made by the Attorney General of Osun State in the original motion. Justice Akintola also pointed out that while the court had granted the interim order to freeze the funds, UBA still had the opportunity to challenge the injunction once the case is heard.

Following the court’s ruling, Musibau Adetunbi (SAN), counsel for the Osun State Attorney General, expressed satisfaction with the decision, calling it a “well-delivered” ruling. He informed the court that they intended to obtain a clearer copy of the Supreme Court judgment delivered on December 5, 2025, which could influence their next legal steps.

Next Steps

Justice Akintola adjourned the case to December 18, 2025, for mention. It is expected that further proceedings will clarify the status of the frozen funds and any potential future legal action.

The court’s ruling effectively prevents the sacked APC chairmen from accessing the frozen funds, maintaining the status quo until the full hearing of the case. This decision marks a critical point in the ongoing legal and political struggles involving the management of local government funds in Osun State.