Osun LG Saga: Ignore Political Paid Agents Calling for Return to Work. - NULGE Tells Workers.

Osun LG Saga: Ignore Political Paid Agents Calling for Return to Work. - NULGE Tells Workers.

The Osun State chapter of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) has told members not to resume work yet.

Osogbo, 22nd March, 2025.

Source: OSUN DEFENDER.

Photo Credit: Osun Defender.

The President of the union, Dr. Nathaniel Ogungbangbe, gave the directive following the call by a faction of NULGE in the state called Association of Concerned Local Government Staff, which directed workers in the council areas in the state to immediately return to their duty posts.

Osun Defender reports that local government workers in the state have stayed off work since February 17, 2025.

The state coordinator of the new association, Adedayo Adekunle, while addressing journalists in Osogbo on Saturday, declared the closure of council secretariats in the state as illegal.

Adekunle, who listed many infractions committed by Ogungbangbe to perpetrate self in office for another term, further said, "Despite his claim that Local Government Service is no longer safe for staff to work, he opened Local Governments for the purpose of conducting his second term election where he succeeded in manipulating himself to win second term.

"No life was lost during the elections. No person was arrested and social parties were held during the day and nights to celebrate the success. Yet, all Maternity Centers were locked against women and children and they were and are still sentenced to death by the reckless shut down of the Local Government Service in Osun State by this desperate politician in the garb of a unionist.”

Ogungbangbe, while responding, however, described Adedayo's group as illegal and agents paid by politicians to cause disharmony.

Ogungbangbe cited tension generated by the resumption of councillors and chairmen elected in the October 15, 2022, local government election to enforce a judgement they got from the Court of Appeal, Akure, in their respective LGAs and the opposition to the plans of the state government.

He said, "All primary healthcare centres in the state are working. They are not shut down as Adedayo claimed. We didn't use local government secretariats for NULGE elections. We used a designated place for it. Arrangements for the election had been long concluded before crises started that forced us to direct our members to stay at home. You can see the man has told lies upon lies against me.”

Ogungbangbe who said Adedayo contested the position of President in the last NULGE state election and lost to him, said allegations by the factional leader were false.

He said, “Let me tell you that workers cannot return back to work because it is not their group that said workers should stay at home. Workers are staying at home for some reasons. Imagine if workers of the local government were on duty on the day when six people died due to the crisis that happened at the councils. So, if I said my members should stay at home because I do not want to endanger the life of anybody, have I gone wrong in any way?

“There is no union called Concerned LG workers in Osun State. They should tender their certificate of incorporation. The Nigeria Labour Congress is aware of NULGE's position. Also, the national body of our union is aware, and they have even written a letter to Osun telling the government that they are in support of our decision .

“So, if anybody is now coming up to say another thing, they must have been paid to do what they are doing. No member of the local government in Osun State will follow this useless instruction because they are not registered. They also lied that I single-handedly supervised the closure of health facilities in the state. These are all lies. Health workers are on duty. Maternity and health facilities in every local government are working."