Former President Obasanjo says he is 'crippled' at the moment, but he still retains the power to use his voice to draw attention to those who approach him for assistance.
Ex-President Obasanjo
While speaking on Wednesday when he received the leadership of the National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) at his Hilltop Mansion in Abeokuta, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, said that he is “crippled” at the moment, but he still retains the power to use his voice to draw attention to those who approach him for assistance.
The influential politician expressed the wish to help the union, which sought his intervention for the revival of the local government structure and accused state governments of incapacitating local councils, wondering whether states could allow the federal government do the same to them.
“There is no exception to this bastardisation and encroachment by states. Even though both are supposed to be separate tiers of government, with each having its roles and functions, that is not the case anymore.
“I wish I could help, but I am helpless. As it is, I can only help you to shout and talk to the world. I do not have any executive or legislative power. I am crippled.
“But we shall continue to talk until those who are reasonable among them change this attitude. I begin to wonder if they (states) can allow what they are doing to the local governments to be done to them,” he said.