I’m in order, MC Oluomo replies NURTW query

The National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Lagos State Council Chairman, Alhaji Musiliu Akinsanya (aka MC Oluomo), has replied to the national body of the union’s query over alleged insubordination.

In a letter, Akinsanya stated that he faithfully complied with the laws guiding the union’s operations and vowed to “never do anything to tarnish the image of the union nor bring the union back to the inglorious position of being branded as thugs and disturbers of the public peace in Lagos.”

On the appointment of Alhaji Azeez Abiola as chairman, Lagos State NURTW Tricycle Operators, Akinsanya said Abiola was announced on February 9 in Abuja as one of the State Trustees and Chairman, Zone ‘C’ Tricycle Owners and Operators Association of Nigeria (TOOAN) of NURTW and not overall chairman of TOOAN in the state.

But unfortunately, before we got back to Lagos, Abiola has been parading himself on social media as the new state chairman of TOOAN and posting a letter of appointment I was not aware of to that effect.

“This is in spite of the fact that the legality of TOOAN is an issue at the National Industrial Court and the Lagos State Council is presently funding the defence in an effort to protect the corporate image of the union,” he said.

Akinsanya denied knowledge of intimidation or assault on Abiola or any of his supporters.

As a Trustee, Abiola, he said, has the right of entry to the state secretariat, which he has never been denied.

“It will be demeaning of me to instruct people to beat up his supporters and I never did. On the release of former state secretariat to Abiola, Mr President (Alhaji Tajudeen Baruwa), will recall that the former State Secretariat situated on 360, Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway, Abule-Egba, Lagos has already been contracted to the Amalgamated Mega-City Transport Limited for the use of the BRT operations and they have taken over the place since and are paying us rent.

“Income from the venture is routinely sent to the National Headquarters. There is, therefore, no former State Secretariat to hand over as same is contractually obligated to the transport firm to his (Abiola’s) knowledge and all our knowledge. The decision to rearrange the tricycle segment of our operations was reached by the state executive with the knowledge and approval of the union President (Alhaji Baruwa).

“The initial plan was a three-zone arrangement, but we accommodated the wishes of the President (Baruwa) for a five-zone arrangement and his nomination of two zonal chairmen. The action is neither illegal nor unconstitutional as it is within our constitutional rights as the elected leaders of the state council and it was done with the concurrence of the National President (Baruwa). It was never to create rivalry or disharmony, and until now, the peace that we have in Lagos State council was never experienced by previous administrations,” he said.

On allegation of using thugs to forcefully take over branches of his perceived enemies, Akinsanya said nothing of such ever happened since he took over.

“One of the major achievements of this present executive under my leadership in Lagos State is the promotion of peace and prevention of forceful takeover of branches.

“If any of the Zonal Chairmen to whom the branches belong, however, bring the issue to our attention, same shall be investigated openly and the cause/reason determined,” he said.

(The Nation)