NULGE’s autonomy protest brings Wabba, Ajaero together

For the first time in about two years, the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Ayuba Wabba and the President of the newly launched United Labour Congress (ULC), Comrade Joe Ajaero, put their differences aside to fight the same course, the battle for political, financial and administrative autonomy of local governments in Nigeria.

While the two labour leaders, who both contested for the NLC president in 2015, refused to sit together at a meeting called by the Federal Government following the  crisis that arose after the fuel price increase; they gladly participated in a protest organised by NULGE  to sensitise Nigerians and the members of the National Assembly on the need to grant local government autonomy in the ongoing constitution amendment.

Comrade Wabba, the NULGE President, Comrade Ibrahim Khaleel and Comrade Ajaero, jointly condemned what they described as dangerous norm in Nigeria democracy, where state governors use unelected caretaker committee to fleece local government.

They all spoke at the grand finale of NULGE nationwide rally protest, which commenced at the Unity Fountain park and ended at the National Assembly.

Comrade Khaleel vehemently protested the use of political cronie by some state governors as caretaker committee chairmen; regretting that the development was becoming too rampant and was subverting the real essence of local government administrations in the country.

He pointed out that most of the states have jettisoned the idea of conducting local government elections, rather they see the 774 local governments as mere appendages through which they fleece the grassroots.

He argued that development would continue to elude the grassroots, if local governments are not allowed to chart their own course as enshrined in the constitution.

Khaleel said, “Recognising that our political elite across parties have chosen to undermine the logic of the local government system by taking advantage of some contradictions in the framing of the 1999 Constitution as regards the status of the local government vis-à-vis the state.

“We decided to carry out a concerted campaign across the country for a constitutional amendment which in the end will legally put local government councils in the proper framework to deliver on its objectives.

“You all must have witnessed the levels of instability in the administration of the local government system in the country. Local government administrations are either not allowed to function as state governments starve them through the operation of state-local government joint account; or they are prematurely terminated or dissolved and caretaker committees set up, made up of political cronies and rookies.

“It has become increasingly clear since 1999 that our ruling elite across the political divide, and irrespective of party affiliation, see and indeed operate local governments as mere appendages through which they take additional resources without accountability.”

He also accused States House of Assembly of complicity in the act of gaging the local governments.

Comrade Wabba, called on the National Assembly to ensure that the autonomy of local government is achieved in the ongoing constitution amendment in the National Assembly.

“Caretaker Committee or whatever they call it is illegal and alien to our constitution. They are using it to divert our resources and therefore we must say no to illegal diversion of the resources of the local government.

“If we must fight corruption and the insecurity in our country, we must start from the local government. Development must start with the local government because that is where majority of our people retire to. All of us come from villages and local government and that is where development suppose to start from by all means,” he said.