There are 69 Local Government Areas, Local Council Development Areas and Area Offices in Osun State, Southwest geopolitical zone, Nigeria.
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Are LCDAs recognised by the federal government?
Out of the 69 council areas in the state, only 30 LGAs are recognised under the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
30 LGAs are federal creations while 39 LCDAs and Area Offices are state creations under the administration of Rauf Aregbesola on March 8, 2016, as the governor of the state of the living spring.
That’s why during general elections, the LCDAs and areas offices indirectly dissolve into their original fold. We saw this happen during the February 25 Presidential Election. The electoral umpire only recognised 30 local government areas.
Why were LCDAs created in Osun State?
The creation of Local Council Development Areas and Area Offices in Osun State was basically for the purpose of revenue mobilisation and revenue generation.
Osun State Government was the second state in Nigeria since 1999 to independently create LCDAs after Lagos State Government.
While the ones created by the administration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the governor of Lagos State (1999 – 2007) generated furore between the Lagos and the Olusegun Obasanjo-led Federal Government, the ones created by Rauf didn’t trigger any legal tussle between Osun and the FG.
Here is the list of LGAs in Osun State (by the FG) and LCDAs and Area Offices as created by Aregbesola in March 8, 2016, and their headquarters popularly called secretariats:
Federal Creation
- Atakunmosa East: Iperindo
- Atakunmosa West: Osu
- Ayedaade: Gbongan
- Ayedire: Ile Ogbo
- Boluwaduro: Otan Ayegbaju
- Boripe: Iragbiji
- Ede North: Ede
- Ede South: Oke Iresi Ede
- Egbedore: Awo
- Ejigbo: Ejigbo
- Ife Central: Ile Ife
- Ife East: Oke Ogbo
- Ife North: Ipetumodu
- Ife South: Ifetedo
- Ifedayo: Oke Ila
- Ifelodun: Ikirun
- Irewole: Ikire
- Ila: Ila Orangun
- Ilesa East: Ilesa
- Ilesa West: Ilesa
- Irepodun: Ilobu
- Isokan: Apomu
- Iwo: Iwo
- Obokun: Ibokun
- Odo Otin: Okuku
- Ola Oluwa: Bode Osi
- Olorunda: Osogbo
- Oriade: Ijebu-Jesa
- Orolu: Ifon
- Osogbo: Osogbo
State Creation
- Atakunmosa East Central LCDA: Iwara
- Ayedaade South LCDA: Orile-Owu
- Ayedire South LCDA
- Boluwaduro East LCDA: AJODA IGBAJO
- Boripe North LCDA: Iree
- Ede East LCDA
- Egbedore South LCDA
- Ejigbo South LCDA
- Ejigbo West LCDA
- Ife Central West LCDA: Ile-Ife
- Ife North Central LCDA: Modakeke
- Ife North West LCDA
- Ife Ooye LCDA
- Ifelodun North LCDA: Eweta Ikirun
- Ila Central LCDA
- Ilesa North East LCDA: Ilesa
- Ilesa West Central LCDA
- Irepodun South LCDA: Erin Osun
- Irewole North East LCDA: Wasimi Ikire
- Isokan South LCDA: Ikoyi
- Iwo East LCDA: Iwo
- Iwo West LCDA
- Obokun East LCDA: Ilare-Ijesa
- Odo Otin North LCDA: Oyan
- Olorunda Area Council: Ilie
- Ola Oluwa South East LCDA: Ilemowu
- Ifedayo Area Council
- Odo Otin South LCDA: Inisa
- Olorunda North LCDA: Ota Efun, Osogbo
- Oriade South LCDA: Ipetu-Ijesa
- Ede North Area Council: Owode Ede
- Osogbo South LCDA: Isale Osun, Osogbo
- Osogbo West LCDA: Oke Arungbo, Osogbo
- Ife North Area Council
- Ifelodun North Area Council
- Egbedore Area Council: Okinn
- Orolu Area Council
- Ife South West
- Atakunmosa West Central
Are local government elections held in Osun State?
Just like every other state in Nigeria, local government elections rarely hold, and when they are held, victory reflects the political party of the state governor.
Sometimes, the state governor unilaterally elects caretaker chairpersons to manage the affairs of the LGAs and the LCDAs.
This practice cuts across the 36 states of the federation. Local government administration has been pocketed by the state governors.
The important thing is that the LGAs in Osun State make administration easier for the state governor.