The National President of the Association of Ex-Local Government Chairmen in Nigeria, Mr. Albert Asipa, has called for the cooperation of state governors on the issue of local government autonomy.
Asipa, according to a statement on Monday by the National Publicity Secretary of the ASELGON, Abdalar Abubakar, stated this in his acceptance speech shortly after he was elected the president of the association.
Asipa, a journalist and former Chairman, Imeko-Afon Local Government Area of Ogun State, promised to work towards taking the association to a greater height.
He said he would engage stakeholders, including the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, national and state Houses of Assembly, the Nigeria Union of Journalists, civil society organisations and traditional rulers with a view to strengthening local government administration in the country.
“To put local administration on the right track, especially on the issue of autonomy, which is not about confrontation with the governors or any other stakeholders, what is required is constructive engagement and for all concerned to demonstrate utmost patriotism that can move the polity forward,” Asipa advised.
The statement added that the national president promised that the association would support President Muhammadu Buhari to fight corruption at all levels of governance.
He urged Buhari not to renege on the promise he made in his inaugural address to pay adequate attention to the issue of local government administration.
He said the association was waiting for the President to match his words with action in this respect.
Asipa commended the governors of Jigawa and Ekiti states for their commitment to conducting local government elections slated for December 19, 2015 and February 13, 2016 respectively.
He urged the states to provide a level playing field that would guarantee free, fair and acceptable elections in the states.
It also called on states where local governments were under caretaker administration to set machinery in motion for the conduct of democratically elected councils in line with the nation’s constitution.http://punchng.com/autonomy-ex-lg-chairmen-seek-govs-support/