Local government workers across the country, under the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees, has asked Nigerians not to vote governors opposed to local government autonomy.
Olatunji Ambali, the national president of the union made the call in an interview with journalists on the sidelines of the ongoing Conference of Nigeria State of Assembly Speakers at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) in Ibadan.
“We are appealing to the people that any governor that is against the local government autonomy should be voted out of office, because they are not fit to lead the country,” NULGE president said.
He said the union leaders were in Ibadan to address the Speakers to enable them to understand that their agitations was nothing, but a patriotic duty.
Mr Ambali disagreed with Governor Seyi Makinde’s position in his keynote address, that local governments would not be sustainable if granted autonomy.
“We have realised that those making side comments are doing it as self-serving and not in the patriotic interest of their people,” the NULGE president said.
He added that federal government allocation and internally generated revenue were enough to sustain local governments.
He expressed confidence that local government could pay salary, construct infrastructures, tackle insecurity and give good governance to the people, if allowed to earn their allocations.
The union president said that autonomy would allow connection between the government and the people, give hope to youths and women through skills acquisition programme.
Mr Ambali added that security challenges were local, and that local governments should be allowed to provide security and safety in rural communities.
(NAN)
