Politics

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

Published

2 years ago

November 24, 2021

Editor

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

Edo Guber: ‘Imminent Disqualification Awaits Akpata If…’ Group Says

Published

10 hours ago

May 23, 2024

Editor

A group within the Edo State chapter of Labour Party (LP) says governorship candidate of the party in the forthcoming election in the state faces “imminent disqualification considering the “weighty allegations contained in the Barrister Kenneth Imansuangbon’s applications seeking his disqualification as the party’s standard flag bearer.”

In a statement issued by the body’s president, Comrade Jonah Ifada and Secretary, Osagie Omoregie, the group which addresses itself as Shine Your Eyes Group, (SYEG), urged the party campaign council to be more concern defend himself in court on allegations of alleged “perjury, oath of allegiance to another country, the controversy over the choice of his deputy governor, Alufokhai Oluyinka Faith and lying under oath among others.”

The group, while insisting that Imansuangbon is the rightful person that can take the LP on the path of victory at the September 21st governorship election, added that Imansuangbonshould be commended for approaching the courts to “rescue the LP from imminent disgrace.”

According to the group, Akpata antecedence as the NBA President was characterized by all sorts of issues.

“Imansuangbon has been around before Akpata, and will always be there. We challenge Akpata to show us his kindness to Edo people in the last 10 to 15 years.

“When Imansuangbon was shared over one million bags of rice for the Edo people, shared I-pad and computers to universities and secondary schools students, paid medical bills of the sick, where was Akpata?

“The cars he bought for LP officials and other things he did to have the party ticket are in the public domain. Now, the ticket is worthless in hand and those that sold it to him.

“In any case, it is not the turn of Edo South. Assuming it is the turn of Edo South, we would have wanted the likes of Pastor Ize-Iyamu, General Charles Airhiavbere, Lucky Imasuen and other notable Edo South indigenes not Akpata.”

Politics

[JUST IN]Edo Guber: Confusion As PDP Dissolves Campaign Council

Published

1 day ago

May 22, 2024

Editor

All may not be well with the recently inaugurated Edo State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governorship Election Campaign Council as the national leadership of the party Wednesday announced the withdrawal of the earlier published list of members of the council.

A statement in Abuja by the National Publicity Secretary of the Party, Mr. Debo Ologunagba announced the dissolution of the 200 man campaign council.

A close source however confided that the dissolution of the campaign may not be unconnected with the vehement opposition of Governor Godwin Obaseki to the choice of Mr. Iduoriyekemwem, who favours Chief Osaro Idah, the Obazelu of Benin Kingdom as the director general.

Ahead of the September 21 governorship election, the PDP State Organizing Secretary, Mr. Tony Anenih (jnr) had Thursday, April 26 unveiled a Campaign Council made up of 200 eminent members.

Mr. Anenih (jnr) had defended the choice of the members of the Campaign Council, noting that they are versatile members of the party and were carefully selected to deliver the party’s candidate, Dr. Asue Ighodalo.

Titled Re: Edo State Governorship Election National Campaign Council List,” Mr. Ologunagba urged all the stakeholders and the general public to disregard the earlier publication and await the updated list.

The statement read in part: “The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) @OfficialPDPNig clarifies that it has withdrawn the earlier published list of members of the Edo State Governorship Election National Campaign Council.

“Members of our Party in Edo State and the Nation should therefore disregard the earlier publication and await the updated list.

“All leaders, critical stakeholders, members of our Party and the general public should take note accordingly.”

Politics

Why Obi Visited Abure — Spokesperson

Published

1 day ago

May 22, 2024

Editor

The campaign team of Labour Party Presidential flag bearer, Peter Obi, on Wednesday, announced that the recent visit of the former Anambra governor to the party secretariat in Abuja was a reconciliatory move and not an endorsement as being twisted in a section of the media.

This was disclosed in a statement issued in Abuja by Obi’s Campaign Spokesman, Yunusa Tanko.

To further buttress his point, Tanko also stressed that his principal also met with the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress political arm in the early hours of Wednesday to seek an end to their conflict with the party.

The media was awash with news of Obi and his supporters’ visit to the leadership of the party at the national secretariat in Abuja on Tuesday.

Wearing a black kaftan and his trademark glasses, the former governor was received by the National Chairman of the party, Julius Abure, and members of his National Working Committee.

A few hours after their visit, a section of the media described the meeting as an open endorsement of the embattled leader of the party and his NWC members following the contentious national convention that returned them to office.

In his statement on Wednesday, Tanko kicked against the report, insisting that it was a reconciliatory visit.

He said, “Obi’s visit to Labour Party headquarters in Abuja on Tuesday was a reconciliatory move not to endorse any group interest in the party. Obi had repeatedly maintained that his interest was to carry everybody along into one strong family and not to endorse anyone’s interest.

“The visit was part of the consultations Obi has been embarking on in search of peace in the party. In line with this, he also met with the political arm of the NLC and TUC on Wednesday in continuation of his search for peace in the party.

“At his meeting with the workers’ union, the leadership of the NLC/TUC political commission led by comrade Titus Amba and comrade Chris Uyot was also disposed to peace in the party. He clearly made the point that the party needed to reconcile all various positions in a peaceful atmosphere to have a united house that should be all-inclusive.

“He thanked the leadership of the political commission for their understanding and expressed the hope for a good working relationship very shortly. The LP standard bearer also plans to meet with other critical stakeholders like the Obidient to have an all-inclusive political family with a common dream of rescuing Nigeria.”

Tanko’s rebuttal, however, didn’t go down well with the Abure-led NWC.

In a counter statement released barely an hour later, the National Publicity Secretary of the Labour Party, Obiora Ifoh, warns against twisting the ‘well-intentioned’ visit of their presidential candidate.

Ifoh also reiterated that both Obi and Abure were on the same page on reconciliation of aggrieved members and stakeholders of the party

He said, “As a party, we are pleased that our leader has chosen to reconcile all aggrieved members and stakeholders of the party. This noble step taken by Mr. Obi is in line with the call made by the Labour Party’s National Chairman, Julius Abure during his maiden press conference last week of Abure-led NWC wherein he pleaded with all the warring parties including the NLC to sheath their swords and join in the rebuilding process in the party.

“Obi’s visit and speech on Tuesday during the FCT solidarity rally has been variedly described in some quarters as an endorsement on the Abure leadership being his very first visit after the successful national convention of the party held in March. To us as a party, we cherish this visit on whatever nomenclature as a positive wind blowing on the party.

“We believe that very soon, the reconciliatory efforts will be consummated and metamorphose into a political force that will usher in a government to liberate Nigerians from the shackles of maladministration we are presently facing in the country.

“Finally, we urge the NLC and its political commission to understand we are not the foe. They see us as an ally in the battle to rescue Nigeria. They should emulate the Trade Union Congress, which has shown greater understanding and willingness to partner with the party in our efforts to make a new Nigeria possible.”