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The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has condemned the freezing of local government allocations to Osun State.

Reacting to the development on Wednesday through its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC described the action as ‘political terrorism’ and accused the Federal Government of weaponising state institutions to punish the people of the state.

The party said President Bola Tinubu’s mentality that ‘all is fair in war’ constitutes a serious threat to democracy and national stability.

The party noted that the withholding of the funds was part of a broader strategy of intimidation, which it said included the continued occupation of local councils by unelected APC loyalists, the arrest of opposition figures, the activities of armed political thugs allegedly backed by security agencies, and the orchestrated destabilisation of the state through the use of federal institutions.

It said no ruling party should ever confuse electoral competition with military conquest, stating that, ‘Political opponents are not enemy combatants. Opposition-controlled states are not occupied territories. Public institutions do not belong to whichever party temporarily controls the federal government.’

The statement further read:

‘The African Democratic Congress condemns in the strongest possible terms the freezing of the statutory allocations due to the local governments of Osun State. This is not an administrative decision or a legal dispute. It is political terrorism by the Bola Tinubu-led APC government, carried out with the instruments of the Nigerian state in order to achieve the singular objective of undermining the state government ahead of the coming governorship election in the state.

‘This sinister move confirms that the Tinubu-led Federal Government will do anything, including starving the people of Osun State, to achieve its political objectives. Yet no democracy worthy of the name deliberately sacrifices the welfare of innocent citizens in pursuit of partisan political ends.

‘The salaries of workers, the operation of primary healthcare centres, the education of children, rural infrastructure, and other essential public services have all been turned into bargaining chips in President Tinubu’s political contest.

‘We have noted earlier that President Bola Tinubu’s mentality, which regards political contests as warfare, constitutes a serious threat to democratic engagement. But even in war, there are rules of engagement that recognise human dignity and place limits on the conduct of adversaries.

‘Democracies are expected to hold themselves to an even higher standard. What justification can there possibly be for the barbarity now playing out in Osun State, where one man has declared war on his own people?

‘The freezing of local government funds is only the latest chapter in what has become a systematic campaign to undermine constitutional government in the state. For well over a year, unelected APC loyalists have continued their illegal occupation of local government councils, in open disregard for democratic legitimacy and the rule of law. Instead of protecting constitutional order, federal institutions have looked the other way and even encouraged the illegality.

‘Candidates and leaders of the Accord Party have reportedly been subjected to indiscriminate arrests, not because they constitute a threat to public safety, but because political intimidation has become an accepted instrument of politics by a Federal Government that has abandoned all pretence of ethics and morality.

‘In Osun State today, violence has become normalised. Hoodlums allegedly associated with the APC have openly deployed military-grade weapons to terrorise communities, intimidate political opponents, and undermine peace across the state. Rather than confront criminality impartially, security agencies have appeared content to watch from the sidelines.

‘Even more disturbing are allegations that individuals and their armed gangs have enjoyed the active protection or indulgence of elements within the Nigeria Police Force while carrying out acts of intimidation against citizens. If true, nothing better illustrates the collapse of the distinction between the impartial authority of the state and the partisan interests of a political party.

‘Taken together, these actions reveal something more dangerous than ordinary political competition. They point to the deliberate promotion of a state of anarchy by federal authorities and agencies whose constitutional duty is to preserve law, order, and democratic stability.

‘What the people of Osun deserve is the democratic right to freely choose who governs them. But right now, they have been placed under siege. This rascality has to stop.’

Candidates of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) have praised the party’s National Leader, Senator Seriake Dickson, following the publication of the party’s list of candidates by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), saying his intervention helped resolve disputes arising from the primaries.

The commendations came after weeks of uncertainty over the delayed release of the names of the party’s candidates for the Senate and House of Representatives ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Several candidates and aspirants said the publication of the list had brought an end to internal tensions, describing Dickson as a stabilising force who led reconciliation efforts among aggrieved stakeholders.

Among those who commended the former Bayelsa State governor was the NDC candidate for Abia Central Senatorial District, Senator Nkechi Nwaogu.

She said Dickson demonstrated leadership throughout the difficult nomination process and deserved credit for his handling of the party’s primaries and reconciliation efforts.

‘Nobody is perfect, but he acted in the interest of our party, NDC,’ Nwaogu said.

She also appealed to aspirants who were unsuccessful in securing the party’s tickets to remain committed to the NDC and work towards its victory in the 2027 elections.

‘I appeal to aspirants who did not get tickets to see this as a contest in which those who lost today can win tomorrow. They should work with our party to ensure its victory in the 2027 elections,’ she added.

Some candidates also dismissed allegations that party tickets were sold to the highest bidders, insisting that despite challenges encountered during the primaries, the process remained transparent.

A House of Representatives aspirant based in Canada, who failed to secure the party’s ticket, said Dickson devoted considerable time after the primaries to reconciling aggrieved aspirants and stakeholders across the country.

According to the aspirant, most of the disagreements stemmed from state-level consultations and harmonisation processes rather than the direct involvement of the party’s National Leader.

He said Dickson did not interfere in the work of state stakeholders or committees responsible for conducting the primaries but instead concentrated on resolving disputes after the exercise.

Another aspirant from Edo State also rejected claims that aspirants paid for party tickets.

He said he attended several meetings with Dickson, party leaders and fellow aspirants, stressing that financial matters were never discussed.

The aspirant further described Dickson as having made significant personal sacrifices in building the relatively new political party and urged members to unite behind the NDC’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, his running mate, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, and all other candidates.

He said party members should remain focused on strengthening the opposition ahead of the 2027 elections.

Meanwhile, an unsuccessful House of Representatives aspirant for the Aboh Mbaise/Ngor Okpala Federal Constituency in Imo State, Mazi Nnamdi Dickson Iroegbu, also urged party members to move beyond the outcome of the primaries.

In a Facebook post following INEC’s publication of the candidates’ list, Iroegbu acknowledged that his name was not on the list but reaffirmed his commitment to the party.

He congratulated the successful candidates and called on his supporters to continue backing the NDC and its candidates throughout the electioneering period.

‘Although my aspiration did not materialise this moment, my commitment to the people remains firm, and I will continue to work for the progress of my community,’ he said.

He also urged party supporters to remain united and actively participate in the electoral process, stressing that service to the people remained his guiding principle.

The publication of the NDC’s candidate list by INEC has brought to an end weeks of uncertainty over the party’s nominations, paving the way for the commencement of full-scale campaigns ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The Federal Government has unveiled an ambitious plan to transform autism care and support services in Nigeria with the establishment of six regional Autism Centres and a massive expansion of specialist training programmes in universities across the country.

Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, announced that the centres, to be established across the six geopolitical zones beginning in 2027, will serve as regional hubs for diagnosis, therapy, research and professional support for children living with autism, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and other developmental conditions.

The initiative forms part of the Federal Government’s broader strategy to address the acute shortage of highly skilled professionals in Audiology, Speech and Language Therapy, and Occupational Therapy, while reducing the need for Nigerian families to seek specialised care abroad.

Speaking during an engagement with stakeholders in Alausa, in a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Communications, Mr. Ikharo Attah, disclosed that the number of universities offering specialised programmes in Audiology, Speech Therapy and Occupational Therapy has increased from about four to nearly 16 under the ongoing education sector reforms.

He said the Federal Government is determined to expand the programmes to more tertiary institutions to produce the skilled workforce required to meet the growing demand for quality services for children with developmental disorders.

‘Our Federal Government, through the Ministry of Education, is supporting this by expanding the number of institutions offering programmes in Audiology, Speech Therapy and Occupational Therapy.

‘We have moved from about four universities to almost sixteen universities, but we want even more institutions to train the manpower needed to support these essential services,’ the minister said.

Alausa lamented that many Nigerian families still travel to neighbouring countries and other parts of the world in search of specialised care for children with autism and ADHD because of inadequate local capacity, describing the situation as unacceptable.

‘Today, many families still have to travel outside Nigeria to access care for their autistic children. This is not acceptable, and the Federal Government is determined to change that,’ he stated.

To strengthen local capacity, the minister announced that from next year, the Federal Government would begin targeted interventions in universities offering the specialised programmes.

According to the Minister, the support would include the expansion of infrastructure, provision of modern equipment and teaching materials to significantly increase the institutions’ training capacity.

He also revealed that the Federal Ministry of Education has directed the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) to fast-track the accreditation of the Federal School of Occupational Therapy and the Occupational Therapy diploma programme at the University of Benin.

He further stated that the move would create a seamless academic pathway from diploma to bachelor’s degree while strengthening career opportunities for professionals in the field.

Alausa commended universities that have aligned with the Federal Government’s policy direction by introducing the specialised programmes, describing their contributions as crucial to building the human capital needed to improve care for children with developmental conditions.

He further disclosed that the planned Autism Centres would not only provide comprehensive diagnostic and therapeutic services but also promote research, innovation and professional development while serving as centres of excellence for healthcare providers, educational institutions and families.

‘In 2027, we will open Autism Centres across the six geopolitical zones. These centres will focus on diagnosis, therapy and research to better support the needs of our citizens,’ he said.

The minister reaffirmed the Federal Ministry of Education’s commitment to working closely with universities, regulatory agencies and professional bodies to expand specialist training, strengthen institutional capacity and advance research and innovation in autism care.

He noted that the initiative aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which seeks to ensure that every Nigerian child living with autism, ADHD and other developmental conditions has access to quality diagnosis, therapy, inclusive education and the opportunity to realise their full potential.

A former senator representing Osun West, Senator Akinlabi Olasunkanmi, has announced his decision to support the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in the August 15 governorship election in Osun State, Asiwaju Munirudeen Oyebamiji, popularly known as AMBO.

The former minister for youth development, who said he remains a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), made the declaration on Tuesday, saying his party is not fielding a candidate in the election.

He emphasised that he and his supporters, who did not defect to the Accord Party, have resolved to align with Oyebamiji at the poll.

‘If we have PDP/Accord, why can’t we have PDP/APC?’ he asked, in reference to the alliance between the PDP and Accord Party in the state.

The forthcoming election will be contested by candidates of the APC, a faction of PDP, Accord, and other parties in the state.

Olasunkanmi served as senator for Osun West from 2003 to 2007 and was Minister of Youth Development between 2007 and 2010.

He also contested the PDP governorship primary in Osun in 2014.

The former minister accused the present administration in Osun of acting with impunity in running the affairs of government.

‘I know the Adeleke family very well. What we should tell Osun people is that the Adeleke family are acting with impunity,’ he alleged.

He cited examples, alleging that top government functionaries like commissioners holding key ministries are mere figures; thus, Osun has become a private family enterprise by the administration.

‘Are we running Adeleke private enterprises in Osun?’ he queried.

Olasunkanmi also recalled his political sacrifices within the PDP.

‘In 2007, I was the one who stepped down for late Isiaka Adeleke to become a senator.

‘Also in 2017, I stepped down for Senator Ademola Adeleke,’ he said.

He urged Osun voters to use their voter cards to ‘chase them away’ in the forthcoming election.

‘It is our permanent voter cards that we will use to chase them away,’ he declared.