Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja
The Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) has removed its National President and the current Chairman of Bariga Local Government Development Areas (BLGDA), Hon. Kolade Alabi David, saying he is not a chairman of any of the recognised 774 local government areas (LGAs) in Nigeria as enshrined in the 1999 constitution as amended.
But in a swift reaction, David insisted that he remains the national chairman of ALGON, adding that the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the meeting has not been held, although he confirmed that there are plans to hold the NEC meeting.
The National Publicity Secretary of ALGON, Andrew Alu, made the disclosure in a statement issued on Sunday following the resolutions reached during the NEC meeting of ALGON held September 6, 2019 in Abuja.
He stressed that Section 5 (1a) of the ALGON constitution provides that for eligibility to be president, one must be an elected chairman of one of the 774 local government councils in Nigeria, adding that the local government council of the current chairman is not one of the 774 local governments.
Alu argued that Bariga LCDA is not one of the 774 LGAs listed in the constitution.
He stated: “The Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON) has come to the unfortunate realisation that the man who has been at the helm of affairs as president of ALGON, Hon. Kolade Alabi David, is not a chairman of any of the recognised seven hundred and seventy-four (774) local government areas (LGAs) in Nigeria as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended.
“Since his local government area (Bariga) is not in the said 774 LGAs in Nigeria, he is not qualified in the first place to contest for the presidency of the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON).”
Alu stated that the present Deputy National President, Hon. Mahmud Mohammed Aliyu, who is the Chairman of Soba Local Government Area of Kaduna State, has been unanimously elected by the NEC as the new president of the Association with effect from September 6, 2019.
ALGOn said: “By these resolutions of highest body of ALGON, Hon. Kolade David is to hand over the whole affairs of ALGON activities to Hon. Mahmud Mohammed Aliyu as the new National president of ALGON.”
When asked to comment on his purported removal in a telephone interview, David told THISDAY that it was not true that he has been removed, adding that those behind it were ‘cabals’ using the name of ALGON for business.
He stated: “That is not true (his removal). We have not had NEC meeting, we are just proposing to have our NEC meeting and there is nothing like National Publicity Secretary of ALGON. Though we have some cabals that may want to play some games, so there is nothing like that at all.
“Sometimes people just want to cause confusion. We know where the thing is coming from, it is from one Muhammed, we know him. There is one Muhammed Abubakar that is doing all those things. Those are the people that are using the name of ALGON to make business, if you want to stop them they will now begin to be making all these things.”
