State Governors have been described as the major obstacle towards the realization of local government autonomy in the on-going review of the constitution.
Speaking in Yola, Adamawa State on Sunday, President of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Comrade Ibrahim Khaleel, said, “Governors are our main headache. They have rendered local governments impotent and are not willing to let go for selfish reasons.  The desire of a forum made up of 36 people (governors) to forcefully hold local governments by the jugular and keep the nation on its kneels against the popular wish of Nigerians as expressed in recent public sessions on the review of the constitution is to say the least, unfortunate.”

The union leader also described as worrisome the recent action of the House of Representatives, where presentation of report of the public session to the public was abruptly suspended after stakeholders had gathered for the event.

He said NULGE was angry with the development and has embarked on rallies across the six geo political zones which would culminate in Abuja.

Khaleel said research supported by the union revealed that most of the problems facing the nation, particularly poverty and insecurity have a lot to do with marginalization of local government by state governments.

He noted that since local government are closer to the people, if granted autonomy, they would be able to impact on the lives of the masses.

“That’s why we are calling on the governors to change their unpopular stand before the day of reckoning and respect the popular wish of the people  who supported our position during the public sessions which is akin to referendum,” Khaleel said.