Politics
IDREES Lafene, President of the Nigerian Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) Niger Chapter, has called on local government employees to steer clear of partisan politics as local government election in the state draws nearer.
Lafene made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, (NAN) at the NULGE Secretariat in Minna on Friday.
He urged the employees not to meddle in partisan politics, saying that they should not follow politicians to campaign secretly or openly.
“I am calling on all the local government employees and the populace to exercise their right and that they should shun the idea of wanting to sell their votes no matter the inducement,’’ he said.
Lafene urged the people to forget about any popular candidate but rather vote for integrity, astuteness and know-how.
“I implore you not to feel intimidated by anybody no matter the power such a person wields. The reason why there are many candidates is for the electorate to have the best.
“The choice we make during the local government elections will inadvertently guarantee our future and that of posterity in the grassroots and in the state at large.
“The grassroots has to be developed so that we will have less people drifting to the urban areas. Do not vote for candidates who will be operating from the state capital,’’ he said.
Lafene noted that in the past, many of the chairmen operated from their comfort zones which did not augur well for the council areas and the state at large.
“We should as stakeholders and who have collective interest, reject candidates who do not know our pains.
“Let it be a community-based participatory concern. We should vote for candidates that will stay in the community and listen to our cries and not candidates that are just interested only in the dividends,’’ he said.
While calling on the candidates to play the game by the rules, he said: “Politics is not a do or die affair but for candidates who have the mindset to affect the people positively.” (NAN)
– Sept. 6, 2019 @ 16:35 GMT |
Tags: NULGE boss warns members to steer clear of partisan politics
