Oghenetejiri Ruona, Warri
Mr.. Zico Okwudi, President, Delta State chapter of the Nigerian Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) has been petitioned before the Delta State Commissioner of Police, Olufemi Abaniwonda over alleged deprivation from contesting the Vice Chairmanship position of the Union in Isoko North Local Government Council in the forthcoming Union’s election.
Mrs. Sarah C. Ulueme threatened to sue the Union to court just as she alleged in the petition that Comr. Okwudi is depriving her from contesting for the position after she has paid eighty thousand naira(N80,000) for the nomination form.
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In the petition, she appealed to C.P Abaniwonda to immediately call the Delta State’s President, Mr. Okwudi and his executive to order to forestall any breakdown of law and order in the area.
Amb. Ulueme disclosed that the Union in October 2024, issued notices calling for nomination into the various offices to be contested at the Union’s elections in the various Local Government Councils(Chapters) in the State.
According to her, “sequel to the opening of nomination, I went to Asaba to purchase the nomination form for the office of the Vice Chairman, Isoko North Chapter.
“After paying ₦80,000.00(Eighty Thousand Naira for the form, the officer designated to issue me with the form said he has been directed by NULGE State President and his Executive not to release the form to me on the grounds that the said office I intend to vie for is not open to be contested.
“On further insistence and inquiry, I was informed that it is only in Isoko North Local Government Council that the said office has been so restricted; otherwise, other offices are open to be contested and the office of the Vice Chairman is open for contest in all other Councils in Delta State.”
Amb. Ulueme added, “so far, no notice has been offered for this special exclusion in respect of Isoko North Local Government.”
She further disclosed that the same form for which she was deprived has been released to one Mrs. Agbada to run for the Vice Chairmanship position as the sole candidate who has obtained form.
According to her, “sir, in order no to create trouble in the Union and for there not to be disruptions in the elections in Isoko North Local Government Council come Thursday, November 28, 2024, I wish to urgently call on you and all stakeholders to immediately call the leadership of the Union to order and to immediately release my form to avoid break down of law and order.
“Sir, it is my constitutionally guaranteed inalienable right to freely associate and participate in the activities in any Union or association of my choice, and nobody, no matter how highly placed can trample on my right by depriving me of any participatory right in a Union I have subscribed to for almost 28 years, without the law taking its course.”
Amb. Ulueme emphasized that CP Abaniwonda should urgently intervene by calling on the Union’s leadership to reverse itself before it’s too late.
On her threat to sue, Mrs. Ulueme said, “take Notice that I have put machinery in motion to sue the Union to court to redress this infraction. Further note that until the Union is able to prove that I am not a member and have no constitutional right to freely associate and participate in the affairs of NULGE, I am willing and ready to match action with any deprivations being orchestrated by the leadership of the Union.”
Contacted on phone through Whatsapp messenger, Mr. Okwudi has this to say, “I am just hearing this for the first time. May be you ask her again for clarification if I am the real person she is referring to.”
