Jiti Ogunye, a lawyer and human rights activist, has urged Osun State politicians to seek a political resolution over the lingering dispute over local government funds.
On Tuesday, Ogunye stated on Channels Television The Morning Brief, “My consistent position has been that courts are not suited to resolve essentially political disputes.”
He explained that parties frequently went back to court because they had resources and vested interests even after judgments.
“Parties will want to re-litigate disputes, which prolongs conflicts,” he continued.
READ ALSO: Ozekhome’s “Highly Political” Withholding Osun LG Funds
Ogunye recalled that the dispute began with inquiries about previous council chairmen’s terms of office.
The attorney claimed that self-imposed ruling-enforcer attempts had disastrous effects, including death.
Courts and Politics
Ogunye warned that despite the court’s ability to hear the case, political differences between the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Osun and the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the center improved the effectiveness of a negotiated settlement.
He warned against using court procedures to benefit partisan interests.
He argued that “political settlement is important,” and that “intractable political disputes” being drawn into legal battles were being tarnished.
He claimed that the judiciary should not be used as a tool for political conflict.
Ogunye resisted the threat of a state of emergency similar to that that was declared in Rivers State years ago despite the tension.
Trade Blame: APC and PDP
After the February council elections, the Osun government claims that there is “no legal or political basis” for withholding funds.
PDP officials were recognized as the legitimate leaders of the state’s councils in a court of appeal decision from June.
The Attorney-General argued, however, that Osun must recoup previous allocations because it provided incomplete account information.
A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Mike Ozekhome earlier in August called the withholding of funds “highly political.”
He accused Lateef Fagbemi, the Federation’s attorney general, of recommending payments to officials who had been detained by courts.
Source: Channels TV
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