Politics

LG Autonomy Antidote To Insecurity, Unemployment, Say NULGE National President

Published

4 years ago

November 24, 2021

The National President of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees NULGE, Comrade Ambali Akeem Olatunji has described the neglect and usurpation of the roles of local government by those he described as state political actors as major factor contributing to increase in the rate of poverty, unemployment and crimes.

Comrade Olatunji who spoke in Ado Ekiti during an exclusive interview with Roundoffnews after declaring open a youth conference, affirmed that the way out of the aforementioned challenges is for government to grant total financial independence to the third tier of government.

According to him, if the local government is allowed to operate in line with the dictate of the laws, some of the major challenges which has crippled the progress of the country will have been tackled.

His words: “No reasonable person will be satisfied with the current state of our local government system today, we have all witnessed systematic destruction of the local government system by state political actors.

“Unfortunately, the local government is supposed to be the hope of Nigerians because it is the most relevant, strategic and accessible tier of government but reverse is the case.

“Around 1979 -1984, we had a semi local government autonomy and that was when the council operated properly and recorded some great feats such as electrification of rural areas, opening of rural roads, provision of potable water. It also organized vocational programme for youths and women, and it was at that time that we had a formidable and effective security system.

“The most popular tier of government is the local government but it has been destroyed through conspiracy by political leaders who because of greed and selfishness cornered local government allocation and also used the instrument of state laws to seize local government IGR.

“The collection of some dues are sole responsibility of local government as highlighted in the Constitution but state government through the use of house of assembly highjacked this roles.”

According to him, the setting up of signage, land use charges, collection of fees from parks and tenement rates were sole responsibility of the local government which are means of generating IGR to support Federal Allocation which would now be used to cater for the needs of people at the grassroots but such system had be upturned.

“This is why you now have youth restiveness because no state government can provide jobs to all the youths, in the past we had instances where local government were empowering youths and women and giving out bursaries to students but that has become a mirage as the state actors now highjacked local government allocations and misapplied them,” he added.

Speaking on the youth conference, Comrade Akeem Olatunji said it was an initiative to prepare youths in the local government system for future leadership task and to also give them orientation on how best to cross the hurdles of unionism.

“We believe in our Union and if we must have a vibrant Union and future it is time to build the capacity of our youths and sharpen their skills.”

Comrade Olatunji showered encomium of the NULGE president in Ekiti, Comrade Oluseyi Olatunde for the great achievements he had recorded in office, urging him to sustain the tempo.

Politics

Osun LG Crisis: INEC To Relocate CVR Centres, Releases Gov Poll Timetable

Published

4 hours ago

August 13, 2025

Editor

The Independent National Electoral Commission in Osun State said it will relocate registration points for the forthcoming Continuous Voter Registration exercise from local government secretariats currently under lock.

Osun LG secretariats have been shut since February 17, 2025, due to a tussle between the Peoples Democratic Party and the All Progressives Congress over control of councils.

The APC had claimed that the February 10, 2025, decision of the Court of Appeal, Akure, had returned its candidates elected in the October 15, 2022, local government elections, but sacked by the Osogbo Federal High Court in December 2022.

But the PDP insisted that the officials who emerged on February 22, 2025, are legally recognised to manage the affairs of council areas in the state.

Speaking during a stakeholders’ meeting in Osogbo, the state capital, on Wednesday, the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr Mutiu Agboke, said the affected INEC offices had been identified and would be moved to alternative locations to ensure the CVR proceeds without disruption.

Agboke said, “The CVR will start on the 18th day of August, 2025, with online registration.

“By this, the prospective registrant will visit www.cvr.inecnigeria.org to supply the necessary information about himself or herself.

“Thereafter, he or she will generate a slip to take to INEC local government office within his place of residence.

“Later on the 25th of August 2025, the registrant will visit the local government office for his or her biometrics, i.e the fingerprint and the facial.

“INEC offices located inside local government secretariats are not shut down.

“However, INEC has harvested the number of those local government offices. We want to bring them out of the LG secretariats. We are working on that. Our headquarters had requested for their details and we have forwarded to them.”

Agboke also announced that activities for the August 8, 2026, Osun governorship election have officially begun, with notices posted in all INEC LG offices.

Party primaries are scheduled between November 24 and December 15, 2025, while submission of candidates’ particulars will run from January 15 to February 9, 2026.

He stated, “This is necessary to enable political parties democratically nominate candidates for the election as required by section 84 of the Electoral Act, 2022. The submission of forms EC9 ( personal particulars of candidates) and EC9B (Names/list of nominated candidates) online at the nomination portal of the commission at 9 am on the 15th day of January, 2026, to 6 pm on the 9th February 2026.

“Access code for the submission of nomination forms shall be available for collection on 15th December, 2025, at the headquarters of the commission. I implore all the political parties and other stakeholders to follow the timetable for the 2026 Governorship Election for Osun State with a view to tracking the various activities contained therein. Copies of the timetable shall be made available to the political parties at this meeting in a short while. The 2026 Governorship election shall be conducted on the 8th day of August,2026.”

He appealed to political parties and other major stakeholders to work against the menace of vote buying, saying the electorate should be educated not to sell their votes.

The REC also called on all stakeholders to continue supporting INEC in the state for it to deliver a credible election, noting that the commission alone cannot deliver a peaceful and successful election without their cooperation.
(PUNCH)

Politics

JUST IN: Total Loyalty Non-negotiable, PDP Tells Members

Published

5 hours ago

August 13, 2025

Editor

The Peoples Democratic Party has warned that it will not tolerate disloyalty from any member, stressing that total commitment to the party’s cause is non-negotiable.

Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Wednesday, PDP National Publicity Secretary Debo Ologunagba said the party will rely on its constitution to ensure members remain committed to its cause.

Responding to a question about the recent conditions set by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, for the success of the November 15 and 16 National Elective Convention, Ologunagba emphasised that the PDP is about the people, not any individual.

He said, “We have zero tolerance for anti-party activities. We expect and demand total loyalty from all our members. Anything short of that will not be tolerated, and we shall invoke the relevant sections of the party’s constitution to enforce this.”

Details shortly…

Politics

By-Election: APC Correcting PDP 8 Years Of Underdevelopment In Edo, Days Idahosa

Published

1 day ago

August 12, 2025

Editor

The deputy governor of Edo State, Hon. Dennis Idahosa says the Monday Okpebholo-led All Progressives Congress (APC) administration in the state is correcting the eight years wrong of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state.

Idahosa, however, urged more support for the administration and the APC to attract more developmental projects across the nook and cranny of the state.

Idahosa made this statement when the campaign train stormed Usen and Ugbogui wards of Ovia South West Local Government Area.

He urged the people to come out enmass to exercise their civic duty on Saturday in support of the APC candidate, Hon. Omosede Igbinedion.

Idahosa said support for the party would mean more developmental projects for the area that had lacked same from the immediate past administration of the PDP.

“The present APC government led by Sen. Monday Okpebholo is the one that has started transforming your area within nine months in the office.

“He can only do more with your support, especially by voting for his party’s candidate on Saturday,” he pleaded.

On her part, the APC candidate, Omosede Igbinedion, promised to synergise with the governor his deputy to attract more developmental projects to the constituency.

Similarly, the state’s Commissioner for Education, Paddy Iyamu, said the government has put measures in place to ensure no students is sent home for want of school fee.

According to him, the state government has concluded plans to pay bursaries for students while market women would enjoy soft loans.

Meanwhile, Elawure of Usen, Ovia south west local government ,have advised Politicians to be united in their pursuit of common goal of delivery dividends of democracy to the people.

Oluogbe II gave this advise when he received the campaign team of the All Progressives Congress (APC) led by the state deputy governor, Hon. Dennis Idahosa.

The traditional ruler expressed joy in the unity between Idahosa and the APC candidate for the Ovia federal constituency bye-election scheduled Saturday, Hon. Omosede Igbinedion.

He noted that the present unity and synergy between the former political foe would bring nothing but victory for their party, as well as development to the people of the federal constituency.