2023: Guber Aspirant Assures A’Ibom NULGE of Full Autonomy for Councils If Elected
Okon Bassey in Uyo
The President of the National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Akwa Ibom State Chapter, Ms. Anestina Iweh, is delighted that a gubernatorial aspirant has promised to strenghten local government administration in the state.
The promise was made by a Governorship Aspirant, Mr. Obong Ide Owodiong Idemeko, during a consultative meeting with the state chapter of the NULGE where he vowed to untie the local government administration from the apron strings of state government by granting it total autonomy.
Iweh, therefore, tasked the governorship aspirant in the 2023 general elections to remain resolute and work harder to secure the party’s ticket in the coming primaries.
She said: ”You have been very outspoken and consistent in your campaign to ensure full autonomy for the local government councils, we the workers have prayed for a leader who will see to the implementation of the said autonomy to help the growth and progress at that level of government.”
She noted that allowing the local government to enjoy autonomy is long overdue, saying that the present system is not favourable to the overall growth and progress of the third tier of government.
Iweh reminded the leading guber aspirant that the NULGE would hold him accountable until he fully implements the autonomy for the local government councils if he emerged as governor in 2023.
”If you emerge governor in 2023, we will not give you any breathing space until you keep this promise and we trust you will not go back on your words.
“We are also glad that you created time out of your tight schedule to rub minds with us, which is a demonstration of your sincerity of purpose and humility. It is on record too that you are the first guber aspirant to come here to see us,” she said.
The governorship aspirant had told the NULGE team that as a true democrat, his determination to ensure full implementation of autonomy for local government councils in the state would remain irreversible.
Idemeko, who holds a Masters’ Degree in Political Science and Public Administration with over 30 years’ experience in corporate world maintained that he has the political will to enhance the survival of democracy by building strong institutions against strong politicians.
”We must build strong institutions. We must allow democracy to flourish. I will give people freedom to do their jobs if elected as governor.
“We must build stronger institutions which will help our democratic ethics to outgrow any form of manipulation by individuals,” he said.
According to him, the coming primaries would determine the direction of the state beyond 2023 and once again appealed passionately to delegates to see through his sincerity and unparalleled zeal to change the narratives and usher in a new dawn for the overall growth and progress of Akwa Ibom people.
