Don’t Politicize My Statement About Local Government Administration In Nigeria, Says NULGE President

By Simeon OSAJIE

The Nigeria Union of Local Government Employee (NULGE) Edo State chapter has described the current media altercation supposedly between NULGE and Edo State government as highly unwarranted, uncalled for and the handiwork of mischief makers who intended to score undeserving and cheap mark from a non existing issue.

Edo State President of NULGE, Comrade Lazarus Imokhai Adorolo, stated this in Benin at a press briefing.

According to NULGE boss statement, “my attention has been drawn to my recent interview with the News Agency of Nigeria correspondent in Benin, which many have laboriously tried to put under various colouration different from the original intent.

“For as much as I would say that the correspondent may have a professional right for his choice of headline or chose part of the interview that suits his sensationalism, the truth of the matter is that I granted an interview where National issues were discussed with little or no reference to a particular state. NULGE’s Media Officer may have responded to this in his rebuttal but it is important to underscore the fact that the issues I raised in the interview should not in any way be politicized”.

The NULGE President said, “as one of the leaders of the Union, a major stakeholder in the Local Government system, with all sense of modesty, not only that I know and understand the challenges of Local Government in Nigeria and Edo State, I am also competent to make statement about it.

It is a notorious fact that local government administration in Nigeria has been crippled and what led to its present sorry state deserved to be addressed and readdressed by all, even Mr. President, Mohammadu Buhari also attested to this fact.

In the said interview, we reviewed the problems confronting the Local Governments and the causes. Like I have stated in my numerous interview with press, we identified resources as the major challenge among others and the contradictions or lacuna, if you like, in the 1999 Constitution as the source of the problem and that State Governments explore these Constitutional errors to exercise excruciating control over Local Government and its resources. But this is a national problem that is not restricted or limited to Edo State.”

Going further, Comrade Lazarus Adorolo said, “it is a fact that individual state has their peculiar problems and Edo State is not an exception. Whatever challenges the Local Government is facing in Edo State is known to all the parties and other stake holders. To the best of my knowledge, while some are receiving attention, some are also still pending.

“I then make bold to say that no body should play politics with my position on Local Government Administration in Nigeria. Similarly, I am calling on all those who wish to take undue advantage of the issue to put all their energies into making the Local Government better in the interest of all”.