PLATEAU: NULGE CRISIS DEEPENS: AS COMRADE YOHANNA ARANDONG’S CAMPAIGN ORGANIZATION, DECLARES SOLIDARITY, SLAMS AGGRIEVED GROUP

By: Amb. Valentine Adese (JP),

The ongoing crisis in the Plateau State chapter of the Nigerian Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) has deepens, as the Campaign Organization of, Comrade Makwin Yohanna Arandong, under the aegis of “NULGE TZARCE SOLIDARITY”, has called on members of the Union to ignore the aggrieved group and support the return bid of their candidate as the State president of the Union.

According to the Campaign Organization in a press briefing at the NUJ Press Center today, “the call for his return is based on his performance and recorded success in office”.

 

THE CAMPAIGN ORGANIZATION

The Campaign Organization in its press statement, while eulogizing the achievements of Comrade Arandong, in part stated that “As a Campaign Organization, we will like to note that our Candidate, Comrade Arandong, and his team are not desperate for leadership as their monumental achievements during their first term of administration necessitated the calls from members for them to return for another term. Some of these landmark achievements include:

1. Facilitating the seamless promotion of over 8,000 staff as well as conversion and the implementation of their benefits.

2. Lobbied for the upgrade of staff promotion to Grade level16, this is first in history, and over 150 staff has benefited so far.

3. Payment of palliative wage award by government to LG Workers.

4. Facilitating Mortgage Bank loan facilities to Workers.

5. Unprecedented cordial working relationship between NULGE and LGSC, as well as, MLG&CA.

6. Ensuring all outstanding Workers salary arrears are cleared in all LGCS.

7. Initiating negotiation for harmonization of LG Workers’ salaries with State Government Workers’ salaries which implementation is on the pipeline, etc.

You would recall that an aggrieved group in the Union, coordinated by Comrade Izere Maxwell in a press briefing recently at the NUJ Press Center, Jos, had alleged in part that the incumbent President of NULGE in the state and his team have already violated the terms of an earlier reconciliation, thereby, “Casting a dark shadow over the legitimacy of the Union’s Democratic Processes”.

Adding that, “They have unilaterally shifted the branch elections to take place after the State Delegates’ Conference (SDC), a clear contravention of the agreed-upon reconciliation terms. This move is a naked attempt to manipulate the electoral process and maintain their grip on power.

“They have failed to set aside their manipulated selection of delegates, denying departments a democratic voice in the selection process. This undemocratic move perpetrates the incumbent President’s stronghold on power, silencing the voice of members and undermining the Union’s democratic foundations.

“They have violated the Constitution by submitting delegates for the SDC without a Congress meeting or democratic selection that was done by the branch chairmen under the guidance of the incumbent President. This blatant disregard for our union’s governing document sets a dangerous precedent for future elections”.   

THE CAMPAIGN ORGANIZATION

However, swift reaction to the allegations, the Campaign Organization of Comrade Arandon, today, condemned and denied the allegations state in part that “Last week some busybody members of our Union led by Comrade lzere Maxwell Igyem with the clandestine motive to defame the integrity of Comrade Arandong, our own Presidential candidate and the incumbent President of NULGE, Plateau State by making some unsubstantiated and baseless accusations through the media and we are here to set the records straight. It is funny that those who water the flowers of hypocrisy are the ones casting aspersion on others.

THE CAMPAIGN ORGANIZATION

 “Gentlemen of the Press, we will like to establish here that these disgruntled members who are making these false accusations against Comrade Arandong were part of the peace and reconciliatory meeting held at the National Secretariat of NULGE and presided over by the National President of the Union where an agreement was reached and signed regarding the conduct of the forthcoming Plateau State NULGE election. We are here with photocopies of this Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).

“One will wonder why they believe that any responsible and sane person will want to align with the myopic reasoning that birthed their foul cry regarding the Union electioneering process. For instance, why should any honest and right thinking members of our respected Union want to condemn the screening of contestants in an election?

“This act alone signal bad intention from Comrade lgyem and his unknown group, as well as, the candidates they are wanting to shield from being screened for the forthcoming election and this portend great danger to our Union.

“We are indeed baffled with some recent savory and demeaning threat statements from Comrade lgyem on different social media platforms of Workers in the Local Government towards the State President of our Union, of course we know that his threats are mere venoms of Viper that has nothing to do with the Tortoise back. But we must warn that enough is enough regarding some unguided statements from him.

“Distinguished Ladies and gentlemen, the rules and regulations regarding the conduct of election for any position in the State Executive Council of NULGE requires that the Contestant for such position must have once been elected and served in any branch before he or she can vie for any office in the State Exco. Reasons for the disqualification of Comrade Ezekiel Musa Yelwa and Comrade Dauda Aku, both contestants for the position of the President as well as few candidates for other positions were clearly stated, by the Screening Committee in line with Union's Constitution (photocopies of the Committee's report are available here).

“We will like to also educate Comrade lgyem and his group as well as the general public that laws guiding our Union's modus operandi do not demand an incumbent official to resign or step aside before re-contesting in an election. Therefore, NULGE Plateau State cannot be on autopilot because of their selfish interest and fears of losing election”.”