Amid the controversy over the return of eight schools to missionary organizations by the Edo State government, Governor Monday Okpebholo has again released 28 additional schools to the organizations.

Ekwutosblog reports that Okpebholo had on June 16, 2025 after a meeting with Bishop Gabriel Dunia of the Catholic Diocese of Auchi announced the hand over of the schools to the missionary organizations.

Meanwhile one week after, the governor has again announced the handing over of another 28 schools to the missionary organizations.

The affected schools include Catholic secondary and primary schools across the three senatorial districts.

The governor, after the announcement, however, disclosed that a committee would be set up to precisely identify all schools to be handed over.

He also clarified that any affected schools currently undergoing renovation by the state government will remain under its supervision until completion.

The development had generated a lot of reactions from the Muslim community in the state who lambasted the governor for taking a unilateral decision without calling for a stakeholders’ meeting.

In a recent communique, the Nigerian Supreme Council Islamic Affairs, NSCIA, Edo State chapter urged the government to stay action on the handing over of the schools until alternative solutions for those who are going to be affected are provided.

The communique signed by its chairman, Alhaji Abdulazeez Nosakhare Igbinidu, appealed to the government to maintain the current harmonious relationship among Edo citizens.

“We plead with the government to consult more with stakeholders with the intention of ameliorating the negative effects the above points will cause,” the NSCIA said.

It noted that Muslims and others who do not share the Catholic faith are apprehensive about the government’s proposal due to its potential implications.

“Governments over time have invested in these schools, providing benefits to all residents regardless of their religious affiliations.

“The handing over of these schools may deny some students access to free education, which your administration currently provides.

“Not all citizens can afford exorbitant fees charged by private schools, making it essential to maintain accessible public education.

“The free education you are presently providing to students in public schools will definitely elude those who are presently enjoying it in these schools.

“Not every individual or family can afford private school, and this will lead to an increase in school dropouts for those who don’t have alternatives.

“The possibility of none catholic children being forced to imbibe principles at variance with their present faith when there are no alternatives can not be ruled out,” the communique added.

Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, elected local government officials in Osun State, under the aegis of the Association of Local Government Of Nigeria, ALGON, have appealed to President Bola Tinubu to direct the Accountant General of the Federation to inform the Controller of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN in the state not to cause anarchy.

ALGON chairman in Osun State, Sharafadeen Awotunde, made this appeal on Tuesday during a press conference at the Ministry Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Abere.

Awotunde stressed that the local government allocation cannot be deposited into private accounts.

The ALGON chairman spoke on behalf of all the local government chairmen who emerged victorious in the February 22, 2025 local government election in Osun State.

He also revealed that elected officials are not signatories to the local government accounts but the Director of Finance and Head of Local Government Administration of the local government.

“We know President Bola Tinubu is the father of the nation. All we want him to do is to call the Accountant General to order.

“We want the Accountant General to direct the CBN controller in Osogbo not to cause anarchy. He should only deal with the local government officials who were duly elected into office and that is us.

“Any action contrary to they will lead to anarchy,” he said.

The press conference is coming on the heels of the disagreement between the Osun chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, and the state government over control of local government administration in the state.

Both the state government and the APC have claimed that the Appeal Court, Akure Division judgment of February 10 and June 13, 2025, are in their favour.

It was on the strength of the February 10, 2025 Appellate Court judgment that the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission, OSSIEC, conducted the local government election on Saturday, February 22.

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, won all the available slots in the poll but Governor Ademola Adeleke, upon swearing-in the PDP local government officials directed them to stay at home in order to avoid violence.

Prior to the local government poll, violence broke out in some local government secretariats across the state over the interpretation of the February 10, 2025 Appeal Court judgment.

The violence claimed six lives, including Remi Abass, and APC chairmanship candidate in Ikire town, Irewole local government area.

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, on Tuesday declared that the proposed political party, All Democratic Alliance, ADA, can’t be registered at the moment because it is yet to meet requirement.

Mr. Sam Olumekun, INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman, Informawtion and Voter Education Committee, made the disclosure while speaking with journalists in Abuja.

According to him, there are several letters of intent before the Commission but none has met requirements to proceed for formal registration application.

“The truth is that we have so many letters of intent presently and none of them is an application yet. They must first meet the criteria before submitting a letter of intent,” Olumekun said.

It was learnt that ADA proponents omitted the word ‘electoral’ from the letter they addressed to the INEC chairman.