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The Osun State chapter of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) has dismissed allegations by Senator Iyiola Omisore and the All Progressives Congress (APC) that its industrial action was responsible for the non-release of local government allocations in the state.
Instead, the union said its decision to stay off duty was aimed at resisting what it described as “a brazen disregard for court rulings” and a desperate attempt by the APC to impose sacked council chairmen and manipulate the process of operating local government accounts.
Speaking at a press briefing, the state president of NULGE, Dr. Nathaniel Ogungbangbe, explained that the union’s action became necessary to protect its members and safeguard the sanctity of the local government system.
“The attempt to impose court-sacked chairmen was followed by a desperate bid by the state APC to change signatories to local government accounts,” Ogungbangbe said. “Instead of allowing the Head of Local Administration (HLA), Director of Finance and Accounts (DFA), and Director of Administration and General Services (DAGS) to be signatories as prescribed by law, the APC attempted to create a non-existing office of treasurer to take charge of the accounts.”
He stressed that NULGE was not responsible for the seizure of funds, noting that allocations could be released once the appropriate officials were allowed to serve as signatories. “Our staying off the secretariats does not stop the release of funds. The core issue is the attempt to pay money to court-sacked APC chairmen,” he added.
The union further alleged that its members faced threats of violence during the crisis. Ogungbangbe recalled an incident at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) office in Osogbo, where security guards allegedly fired shots when legitimate signatories attempted to open local government accounts.
Reaffirming its loyalty to constitutional order, NULGE called on the CBN and federal authorities to recognize the duly elected PDP council chairmen and ensure that financial regulations were respected.
“Our position is clear,” Ogungbangbe declared. “We are defending the rule of law, protecting our members, and ensuring accountability in local government finance. Anything outside this is nothing but propaganda.”
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