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The Nigerian Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) has strongly opposed the unwarranted interference of Abia state governor, Alex Otti, in the state’s union leadership.
Speaking in Akure, the Ondo state capital, the National President, Ambali Akeem Olatunji, asserted that there had been no leadership conflict within the state union chapter prior to Otti’s appointment.
Olatunji made it clear that the union was not pleased with Otti’s recent imposition of his favoured individuals as the state union’s executives.
While addressing the event to install the new NULGE President in Ondo state, Comrade Fredrick Akinrinlola, Olatunji characterized Otti’s actions as a manifestation of executive recklessness.
He mentioned that the Abia governor installed his friends within the union to assert dominance over NULGE’s leadership in Abia state.
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The NULGE National President highlighted that the governor made the decision to impose his supporters in top NULGE positions to assert dominance over the union and “illegitimately divert local government resources,” but reassured that the union would resist such manoeuvres.
He emphasized that specific state-level Chief Executives consistently aim to foist candidates who lack resilience, are easily manipulable by them, and are unable to adequately represent the union’s interests or engage with the government.
‘We have one recently in Abia state, we have conducted election before the new government came in, the new government came in and was trying to distabalize the union, this is a contradiction to the labour movement, the administration has come out to be a disappointment to the labour.’
‘NULGE is cautioning the governor of Abia state, Alex Otti, for his undue meddlesome into the affairs of NULGE and attempt to hijack the leadership of the union and we reject this that he has no right to annul our election and impose his brothers and cronies to take over the leadership of the union.’
‘We were disappointed that after the conduct of our election before the inauguration of the present administration in Abia state of Governor Otti of Labour Party.’
‘He assumed office and the first thing he does was to go after the industrial union and made an attempt to seize the leadership of the NURTW which was rebuffed by the NLC.’
‘He moved to NULGE and decided he had to take over the union, hijacked the leadership in a Gestapo manner and we were surprised that someone that was elected and had a democratic mandate could turn to dictatorship by hijacking the leadership of our union.’
‘He attempted to set up an illegal caretaker committee which he has no right because labour is on the exclusive legislative and not on the concurrent list, he has no power under the constitution to meddle in union affairs.’
Olatunji said ‘His attempt to administer our union for us is condemnable, and unacceptable. We therefore call on the leadership of the Labour Party to call Governor Otti to order.’
‘He is making this attempt to make him pilfer and divert local government allocation. This is the reason he wants to put his cronies in office to ensure he continues to divert funds.’
‘This is a governor that finds it difficult to pay salaries of workers and has diverted check-up dues if unions and had sacked illegally most Directors of state service.’
‘We expect him to concentrate on how to fix dilapidated infrastructure in Abia state,.provide social amenities to Abia people but unfortunately we have tales of woes since he assumed office.’
‘NULGE will resist this illegality and executive recklessness, we will not take it. We will challenge him until justice is achieved’
