The President of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Ekiti State Branch, Oluseyi Olatunde, has vehemently disagreed with former Governor Ayodele Fayose's stance on local government autonomy. Fayose had declared that "most council officials do not take their work seriously," but Olatunde has dismissed this claim as a "MISCHIEVOUS STATEMENT" and a "FALLACY" designed to undermine the autonomy of local governments.
Olatunde has accused Fayose of attempting to "UNDERMINE THE SUPREME COURT'S RECENT DECISION" granting autonomy to local governments, and of trying to "MAINTAIN HIS GRIP ON POWER AND CONTROL" over local governments. He has also criticized Fayose's policies, which led to "UNPAID SALARIES" and "IMPOVERISHMENT" of local government workers, despite the huge bailout funds received from the Federal Government.
The NULGE President has emphasized that local government autonomy is essential for the development of grassroots communities, and that the Supreme Court's recent decision is a major victory for "DEMOCRACY AND GRASSROOTS DEVELOPMENT" in Nigeria. He has called on Fayose to "RESPECT THE AUTONOMY OF LOCAL GOVERNMENTS" and allow them to operate independently, without interference from the state government.
Olatunde has also praised the "PRODUCTIVITY AND DEDICATION" of local government workers in Ekiti State, and has called on Fayose to "HUMBLY WITHDRAW" his statement and tender an "UNRESERVED APOLOGY" to the council workers who he had "DISCREDITED, BLACKMAILED, AND PORTRAYED IN A BAD LIGHT IN THE EYES OF RIGHT-THINKING PUBLIC."
The clash between Olatunde and Fayose highlights the ongoing debate over local government autonomy in Nigeria, and the importance of this issue for the future of grassroots development in the country.