The battle to replace the late President of Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Comrade Ibraheem Khaleel, popularly called Mr. Autonomy intensified, as the Union holds its National Delegates’ Conference (NDC), in Lagos, next week.
The election to have a substantive NULGE president will be between Comrade Akeem Ambali Olatunji, the present NULGE treasurer and four others, who have all signified their intention to be the next NULGE president.
The NDC holds between January 5 and 6, next year (2021) in Lagos and, according to NULGE Electoral Regulations, the Union’s Acting General Secretary, Comrade Chukuemeke Aguonye, has written all the national officers, state presidents, zonal and state secretaries as well as all members of the union in 36 state chapters and the FCT, with the published list of all contestants.
In a memo titled: ‘Publication of list of contestants,” Comrade Aguonye said: “sequel to the decision of the National Executive Council (NEC) of NULGE in its meeting of December 9, 2020, and in accordance with the provisions of the union’s Electoral Regulations, I hereby publish the list of contestants for the forthcoming NDC slated for January 5 and 6, 2021 in Lagos.”
Comrade Akeem Ambali from Ogun State, has been seen as the leading and favoured candidate, and rated after him is Comrade Okwudi Zico from Delta State. Other contestants for the position of the president are: Adorolo Lazarus from Edo State, Richard Ezeh Imo State, and Ayendi Godwin Cross River State.
Other positions to be contested are: Deputy National President; National Treasurer; National Vice President North East, North West, North Central, South West, South East, and South South; National Chairperson Women Committee; National Auditor; National Publicity Secretary, National Welfare Officer; National Trustee; and National Young Workers Representative.
Speaking with Nigerian Tribune on his chances and his plans for the Union, Comrade Akeem Ambali said, being one of his closest and trusted lieutenants, he would build on the legacy left behind by Comrade Khaleel, who had declared him as his worthy successor and very competent to take over from him, before his death.
He said: “Let me pray for my wonderful and compassionate leader, Comrade Ibraheem Khaleel. He has taken the Union to another level and NULGE has become a very prominent Union and very strong especially in the campaign for the emancipation of workers.
“So, a worthy successor to Khaleel must be somebody who is vast in act of unionism, who is experienced who is tested and trusted, somebody who can build on his legacy and continue the good work he had done. And it is evident that among his lieutenants, I am about the closest person to him, as a member of Board of Trustee, a national treasurer who also worked closely with him, who understand the way it is and his passion for local government. Even before he died, he has also mooted the idea that I am a worthy successor and I am competent to take over from him.”
On his plan for the Union and the local government system, Comrade Ambali said: “Local government workers generally are facing challenges, one, on the issue of career progression, the scheme of service in local government service. It is over 10 years ago it has been reviewed, and this has affected the career progression of so many local government workers. It has also brought in disunity and dis-uniformity in the local government system. They were using various and different nomenclatures in states.”
He added: “For us, we would strive hard to complete the good work of Khaleel by removing the quagmire in the process of concluding the review of scheme of service. Incidentally, before he died, he initiated the reconciliatory move which I headed. I have met the people that are aggrieved. We held a meeting in Lagos. We are at the verge of completing the process and sign an MoU to ask them to withdraw their case in court before my late wonderful boss passed on.
“So, I am going to build on that, I am going to complete that if I am elected successfully come January 6. That will be my first assignment. I am also going to review the scheme of service of career officers of the Union. We would ensure there is proper caderization and ensure professionalism in their cadre, too.
“As soon as we are attending to that of local government workers who are the owners of the Union, my principal, we would also try to do that to our own workers as a way of motivating them to better performance.
On the issue of local government autonomy, Comrade Ambali said: “The issue of local government autonomy is uppermost in our mind, I was with him across the country. I ensured I participated across the country. So, we are going to canvass aggressively for the actualization of local government autonomy.”
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