NULGE crisis climaxes in Abia, as Nwaigwe, Afolabi lose out

The five-month crisis that rocked the leadership of the Abia State branch of the National Union of Local Government Employees has claimed the former executive members of the union.

Those already affected by the crises are Comrade Ikechi Nwaigwe and Comrade Abayomi Afolabi, who were elected in May 2023 as the President and Secretary of NULGE in an election.

While Nwaigwe has been reportedly posted to a government ministry in the State, the former Secretary of the Union, Afolabi, has been suspended by members for allegedly working against the interests of the union.

To this end, a new Caretaker leadership has been inaugurated in the State to oversee the affairs of NULGE for about two weeks before another poll is conducted for the election of executive members.

The Caretaker leadership is headed by Comrade Obinna Nwogu, among other leaders.

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Inaugurating the Caretaker leadership recently in Umuahia, a former top shot of the union, Comrade Ijeoma Onyenucheya, tasked the Caretaker leaders of NULGE to conduct a free and fair election while advising local government workers in the State to elect good people to lead their them.

Nwaigwe and Afolabi had been facing a series of challenges since May after their election, following the emergence of a factional leadership which claimed to be the authentic executive.

Several announcements, counter announcements and other press releases were issued by the two factions, with each party laying claim to have won the May 2023 election.

In August, the National Leadership of NULGE said it had expelled two executives of the union in Abia, namely Kenneth Nwasuka and Ikechuckwu Uko, for allegedly working against the interests of NULGE in Abia.

The expulsion was later signed by Comrade Isa Gambo, NULGE National Secretary, and dated July 21, 2023.

But, a staff of the Abia State Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in Umuahia, who spoke to Newspot about the crises, absolved the present Abia State Government of any involvement, saying that the crises started before it came into power.

The ministry’s staff said it was wrong to associate Governor Alex Otti’s administration with the crises in the union.

But members of the opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, have been alleging that Otti’s administration has hijacked the functions of the local government in Abia.

Equally, the National President of NULGE, Comrade Ambali Akeem Olatunji, in late September, alleged that the Governor was interfering in the affairs of the NULGE in Abia.

He said this at Akure during the inauguration of Comrade Frederick Akinrinlola as the NULGE President of Ondo State.