The acting national
President of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE),
Bashir Olanrewaju, has challenged presidential candidates in the
forthcoming elections to be practical in handling cases of electoral
violence. Mr Olarewaju said this Tuesday in Ibadan, while shedding more
light on the activities lined up for the union’s national conference
holding in the Oyo State capital.
Commenting on the
spate of violence that has accompanied many campaigns in the country,
he said such development could ignite people’s apathy on the
electioneering process.
Mr Olanrewaju also
expressed worries over the inability of governorship and presidential
candidates to draw concrete plans for the grassroots in their campaigns.
“So far, no
gubernatorial or presidential candidate has come out with clear cuts
programme on rural developments, establishment of cottage industries
and how to stem rural-urban migration. More importantly, while most of
them have clear ideas on many issues, none seems to have a coherent
agenda for local governments. This shows the hypocrisy of our so called
leaders,” he said.
No regard for local governments
Mr Olanrewaju
condemned the last constitution review undertaken by the National
Assembly, accusing the lawmakers of sidetracking the union as it made
the issue of local government a no go area.
He noted that the
lawmakers were only playing smart because they did not want to offend
their respective governors, adding that the 1999 Constitution is full
of contradictions capable of hampering rural development in the country.
On the conference,
he said it is held once in every four years to take stock of
development in the country, offer suggestions to governments at all
levels on the way forward and to elect new set of officials for the
union, adding that delegates are drawn from across the country.
“This conference
is very unique and historic to us because Ibadan is the first
headquarters of our great union. It is also a milestone because we have
declared a new beginning for NULGE which will usher in peace,
opportunities for the renewal of friendship, cultivation of a new
friendly relationship, critical evaluation of our immediate past and
chart a new way forward,” he said.
