Oyo NULGE crisis festers over alleged imposition, redeployment

Allegations and counter-allegations have continued to fuel the crisis rocking the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Oyo state chapter.

Since May 19, 2020, that Mr Bayo Titilola-Sodo left office as the union’s President, the vacuum left has remained with the appointed caretaker committee unable to fix a date and venue for the election owing to the festering crisis.

The Oyo NULGE crisis dates back to November 6, 2019, when the biennial delegates’ conference convened in Saki, to elect new members of the state executive council of the union, turned out inconclusive.

The election was aborted just before votes were counted when the electoral committee was informed of an injunction from the National Industrial Court, Ibadan, restraining the conduct of the election.

At that aborted election, Mr Hakeem Oyewo, Mr Abass Bogunmbe and Mrs Romoke Opabunmi, all Ibadan indigenes, were candidates for the position of President.

Bogunmbe is Director of Finance and Supplies, Ibarapa North LGA; Oyewo is Head of Local Government Administration, Ogbomoso North LGA while Opabunmi is Head of Local Government Administration, Oyo East LGA.

However, allegations that the former President, Sodo, now Permanent Secretary of the Local Government Pensions Board is hell-bent on using all influences at his disposal to impose the next President on the union have remained rife.

In particular, Chairman, Ibadan/Ibarapa Forum, of Oyo NULGE, Mr Ayobami Adeogun, who declared to vie for President after the aborted election, is said to be the anointed candidate of Titilola-Sodo.

While the posters of Adeogun, also an Ibadan indigene, are visible around offices of the Local Government Service Commission, some members of the union have vowed to utilise all means to resist the purported imposition plan of the former Chairman.

With Titilola-Sodo becoming Permanent Secretary of the Local Government Pensions Board, the fears of some NULGE members increased that Titilola-Sodo may influence the redeployment of Oyewo, Bogunmbe and Opabunmi from the local government service to the state service.

However, government sources decried the allegations that the Permanent Secretary, Local Government Service Commission, Mr Akin Funmilayo will solely redeploy the three contestants were unfounded, noting that only the Head of Service can sanction such purported redeployment.

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While some sources hold that the letters of redeployment of three contestants are ready for dispatch, others describe the redeployment as only a rumour.

Some other NULGE members, however, describe as blackmail and illogical the various accusations and counter-accusations rocking the union, noting that all four candidates should be allowed to go to the election field for delegates to make their choice.

They posit that the plan by vested interests in the NULGE is to weaken the chances of the emergence of a certain candidate.

These members also decry attempts to blackmail the Governor Seyi Makinde and his officials, wondering why government and its officials will be so involved in NULGE leadership and its politics.

Aside from notions that Adeogun is the anointed candidate of the former President cum state government, others bandy the position that Adeogun is not old enough and financially capable to run a campaign across the 33 local government areas of the state.

Addressing the allegations, Titilola-Sodo said since he ceased to be NULGE President, two months ago, he had no business with activities of the union anymore.

“On the alleged imposition of a candidate, I am no longer a member of NULGE, I vacated the seat of NULGE Presidency more than two months ago. A caretaker was appointed for them then and now I am the Permanent Secretary. So, before I can talk, I will need the permission of my boss, the Head of Service. What is my business with not wanting to vacate the seat? That is blackmailing my name.

“On the issue of the transfer of three officers, that is service matters and you are free to investigate from the office of the Head of Service. I am Permanent Secretary, Oyo State Local Government Pensions Board and even if there are pension matters. I will seek permission from the HOS before speaking with the press,” Titilola-Sodo said.

The wait for the caretaker committee, led by Mr Rufus Babalola, to announce new date and venue for the Oyo NULGE election is now two months old.

The Babalola led committee had on May 21 been inaugurated with a mandate to conduct a new election within three months.

Speaking with Nigerian Tribune, Babalola said the committee had moved across zones towards resolving the crisis rocking the union.

He, however, said the committee was still committed living up to its mandate to conduct a free, fair and credible NULGE election within the 90 days window.

“Our mandate is to conduct a free, fair and credible election and to settle all debilitating crisis that lingers. I cannot say anything now because we have been busy trying to fix the election.

“We have not derailed from the mandate given to us. The electoral process is still going on. By the grace of God, we are carrying on with the mandate,” Babalola said.

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