ALGON denies sacking of national president

THE National Executive Council of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) has dismissed a purported communique removing the association’s national president, Mr Kolade Alabi, as a ruse.

In separate statements, the NEC members, including the chairmen of the association in Nassarawa, Akwa Ibom, Delta, Kogi, Taraba and Plateau states, condemned the communique and its “sponsors” and insisted that there was no such meeting where a decision to remove Alabi was taken.

The Nassarawa State chairman of the association, Aminu Muazu Maifata, described the report as a hoax capable of destroying the fabric of the association. He said the genesis of such a report should be investigated.

“I write to refute the purported removal of Kolade David Alabi, the incumbent national president of ALGON as circulated on the online platform of a national newspaper.

“To the best of my knowledge, there was neither a NEC meeting nor a resolution to that effect with the national secretariat’s knowledge,” Maifata said.

His Akwa Ibom State counterpart, Frank Archibong, said the report was “grossly misleading and absolutely condemnable in all ramifications.”

Archibong said: “I am not only an executive council member of ALGON but I am also a NEC member of our association. How can anyone be so unkind to his nation and deliberately want to cause confusion to a most dynamic and trusted leadership more so that the writer is faceless?

“In a few days, the entire ALGON NEC will be meeting where the source of the publication will be unravelled with the media in attendance.”

ALGON’s Delta State chairman, Itiako Malik Ikpokpo, described the person who released the purported communique as an impostor.

Ikpokpo said: “I am a member of NEC and whoever released that statement is an imposter and not known to ALGON. These are people who have become rouges and almost destroyed the foundation of ALGON, to which President Kolade Alabi was elected to correct and clean up and he is doing a great job.

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“Alabi went through a local government election and won in Lagos. He was given Certificate of Return by the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC). Delta ALGON is proud of Alabi’s strides by changing the face of ALGON to properly put our association where it belongs.”

Taofeek Isa from the Kogi State’s chapter of the association described the report as “unfounded, reckless and most embarrassing.”

“As a member of ALGON NEC, I emphatically deny knowledge of any meeting where our NEC removed the democratically elected Kolade Alabi as ALGON president. Suffice to say that the mischievous individual who sponsored the dastardly publication to embarrass the amiable national president for personal benefits is an inconsequential rascal known to all members. I urge you to discountenance the fictitious story as published,” Isa said.

Taraba State ALGON chairman, Stephen Ibrahim, said the person that signed the communique was not known to the association and described the purported removal of Alabi as scandalous, saying no such NEC meeting was held where Alabi was removed.

Ezekiel Pabuet from Plateau State said: “Gone are the days where imposters can be used to tarnish and undermine the image of a very serious body like ALGON that was once a formidable voice in this country, which the present leadership is trying to bring back.

“We cannot sit and watch people of questionable and unstable character that are not even part of ALGON and never contested an election of any ALGON office to make such flagrant and unfortunate statement.”