The four zonal chairmen of the Tricycle Owners and Operators Association of Nigeria (TOOAN) in Lagos State have pledged allegiance to the state chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Alhaji Musiliu Akinsanya (MC Oluomo).
The chairmen and hundreds of TOOAN members stormed the Agege state secretariat of the NURTW on Tuesday to express their displeasure over what they tagged the interference of the national secretariat of the NURTW in TOOAN’s affairs.
They warned Zone ‘C’ chairman of TOOAN, Alhaji Azeez Abiola, popularly called Istijabah, to desist from parading himself as the chairman of TOOAN in the state.
Coordinator of the chairmen and Zone ‘A’ chairman, Alhaji Kamoli Bakare (Papi), said the zonal chairmen never subscribed to the appointment of Abiola as their leader.
“TOOAN comprises five Zones – A, B, C, D and E – of which I am the chairman of Zone ‘A’ as well as the coordinator of the zones. We are operating under the NURTW and we have confirmed that NURTW has not appointed Abiola as our chairman. So, we consider the letter he is parading on social media as untrue,” Bakare said.
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According to him, five candidates, including Abiola, were interviewed for the positions of the zonal chairmen and they were sworn in on March 12, 2020, for a four-year term in office.
The chairman of Zone ‘D’, Mr Taofeek Azeez, urged the national president of the NURTW, Alhaji Tajudeen Baruwa, to revoke the letter given to Abiola if such exists.
“None of us received a notice to that effect. The action is even unconstitutional because TOOAN is under the Lagos State council. Such an action could destroy the peace we are currently enjoying in the state,” Azeez said.
According to him, Bakare was appointed the coordinator of the zones by the TOOAN chairmen after their inauguration and has not done anything to warrant his removal.
The chairman of Zone ‘E’, Mr Olamilekan Mogaji Adejonwo, said the issues on the ground could be resolved with the union’s constitution.
Adejonwo, popularly called Gaji, said: “It is not something hard. Every association has a constitution and if followed, there won’t be crisis. TOOAN is not an affiliate of the national body of the NURTW. It is an affiliate of the Lagos State council of the union. I don’t think it is the president that approached him (Abiola); I believe he is the one that lobbied the president.
“The president should consult the constitution before making decisions. When we visited Lagos State Commissioner of Police, he agreed with us that the mistake was indeed from the president.”
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Lagos tricycle operators pledge allegiance to MC Oluomo
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