By Michael Oche
The Local Government workers across the country under the aegis of National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), have said they will mobilise their members to vote against any political party or candidate that refuses to vote in favour of local government autonomy in the ongoing Constitution amendment process.
Addresing journalists in Abuja, National President of NULGE, Comrade Olatunji Ambali, said it is shocking that only 10 State Houses of Assembly have voted in favour of autonomy for local government, despite its numerous merits to the security and economic growth of the country.
He alleged that members of the State Assemblies from 24 states have come under pressure to vote against the autonomy for local government.
He listed the states to have voted in favour of LG autonomy to include; Abia, Anambra, Enugu, Akwa Ibom, Ogun, Osun, Edo, Delta, Kogi and Katsina while Ekiti and Lagos states voted against the bill.
Ambali also appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari as the leader of the party to call all APC Governors especially, Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi, Kebbi State Governor, Atiku Bagudu and Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong, to order.
He said that Governor Fayemi has been leading the charge against the move to strengthen and deepen good governance at the local government level.
Comr. Ambali warned that Governor Lalong of Plateau State who is currently the Director-General of APC Presidential Campaign should desist henceforth from promoting the fight against local government autonomy or be seen to be supporting anti-people agenda, adding that the result would have consequences.
He said that “NULGE in collaboration with NLC have directed all our members across the country to be on the lookout. We will not support any party that move against local government autonomy. We have directed them to keep their Permanent Voters Card and vote out all the anti people leaders who are he’ll bent on destroying the local government”.
Speaking further, he wondered why Governors Kayode Fayemi, Simon Lalong and Atiku Bagudu who will be leaving office soon will be the ones leading the fight against local government autonomy.
“We want to draw the attention of Nigerians to the clandestine and anti-people move by Governor Kayode of Ekiti State, who since three days ago, have been in Abuja mobilising various States Assembly Speakers, coercing them, intimidating them and inducing them to vote against local government autonomy.
“One will wonder why Governor Fayemi who will be exiting office in less than 50 days is so desperate to ensure the continuity of destruction of this country as a nation.
“We have a security report that Governor Fayemi had a nocturnal meeting with Speakers of State Assembly again for the third time, two days ago. Whereby, he directed that those that have not passed the Local Autonomy Bill should discontinue in discussion and debate while those that have passed it should also look for a way to withdraw it. We don’t understand why Fayemi is desperate. Maybe, he is afraid of how he mismanaged local government funds.
“As of today, Fayemi owes local government workers over seven months’ salary.
“We have also been notified that an anti people committee has been inaugurated under the leadership of Governor Kayode Fayemi and to be led by Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong who doubles as the Director-General, APC Presidential Campaign Council to work so rapturously against local government autonomy in Nigeria.
“We want to warn Governor Lalong to be careful of his role presently. Let him not send a wrong signal that will be deemed as anti people, and that they don’t like Nigeria.
“We want to warn Governor Lalong to be careful of his role presently. Let him not send a wrong signal that will be deemed as anti people, and that they don’t like Nigeria.
“As of today everyone in Nigeria is clamouring for a functional, autonomous and service driven local government system. This cannot continue. Currently, most of our villages have been deserted because of lack of basic amenities.”
The NULGE President disclosed that till now, only 12 states have attended to the bill. Out of the 12 states, he revealed that 10 have passed the bill while two voted against the bill.
He however, commended the States House of Assembly lawmakers that choose to stand by the Nigerian people who also realised the need to stem the tide of destruction that is currently being witnessed in Nigeria, in the area of insecurity, poverty, joblessness and lack of infrastructure and also a positive attempt to stem the title of rural urban drift.
Also speaking, the Secretary of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comr. Emmanuel Ugboaja, strongly warned that Nigerian workers will not fail to use its might which is the Voters Card to show her rejection of any party or its agents that opposes local government autonomy in the forthcoming general elections.
