Council chairmen: we never threatened to resign

The Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON) in Niger State said yesterday that none of the 25 local government chairmen threatened to resign.

It added that they were prepared to serve the people.

Briefing reporters in Minna, the ALGON Chairman, Mr. Tanko Garba Kagara, who disassociated the group from reports that council chairmen threatened to resign because of lack of funds, said the reports were meant to sow seeds of discord and set the chairmen on a warpath with Governor Abubakar Sani Bello.

He said: “We make bold to say that at no time since our inauguration as the chieftains of our councils have we met to discuss, resolve or threaten to resign due to non-release of local government funds. We were elected by our people and are prepared to serve them and not jump ship at the middle of nowhere.”

There were rumours that council chairmen threatened to resign, following the non-release of funds to run the local governments.

Kagara who, however, failed to say if any of the councils had received funds from the executive, said they were yet to settle down to work, let alone being concerned with funds.

His words: “We, the 25 local government chairmen in Niger State, wish to disassociate ourselves from the report, as no decision to resign from office was taken. It should be noted that since our inauguration barely a month ago, the majority of our members are just settling down to work, and it beats our imagination that ‘some’ alleged chairmen are threatening to resign in June.”

The ALGON chairman stressed that the group has no problem with the government, as its confidence in the leadership of Governor Bello remains unshaken.

“We want to assure our people that council chairmen remain focused and committed to replicating the restoration agenda of the governor at the grassroots.”

Source