Leadership: NURTW boss warns members against violence

The National President of National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Alhaji Najeemdeen Yaasin, has warned all warring factions of the union in Ogun State to refrain from any act capable of causing chaos and insecurity in the state.

Yaasin gave the warning during a one-day visit to the State to calm tension over report of a planned takeover of the union’s leadership in Ogun.

He declared that the Union has a proper laid-down means of changing leadership as “expressly stated” in the transport union’s constitution.

Yassin led other national leaders of the Union on a courtesy call on the State governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, the Department of State Security, the Dapo Abiodun Transition Committee and the Commissioner of Police, CP Bashir Makama.

While meeting with the governor, Yaasin appreciated the achievements of the State government in the area of security in the last eight years.

“There can be no handpicking of persons to head our Union. When the time comes, the Union decides who heads it at the respective States. All 36 States of the Union will conduct elections to decide their leaders. There is nothing like taking over in this union.

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“The era of using cutlasses and guns to take over garages in NURTW has been a thing of the past. We have a transition where we set a transition for the leadership of the union from the national secretariat. By August, we are going to have a national delegate conference where I will step down as the President of the union and elect a new democratically elected President, of the union. Two months after that, elections into the various offices of the 36 State council of the federation will commence.

“I call on all members of the union in Ogun State to remain calm. When the time comes, we will have democratically elected leaders that will represent the union. Anyone that says he will takeover Motoparks, we are going to disown that person and the law would take its full course.” he said.

Responding, Amosun commended the union for promoting peace in the State since the inception of his administration. He also lauded them for seeking a peaceful transition, cautioning however that the peace must be sustained by the incoming government for continued development.

He said “Ogun State cannot afford to go back to those dark days. That era is gone. There will be no machetting, thuggery in this State. Our State is now at the forefront of Security in the country. Ogun State is now on autopilot where law and order is entrenched. Roadside thuggery should never come up even after the end of a tenure.”

Similarly, the commissioner of Police, CP Makama said the NURTW is now a more refined association, as members are enlightened, responsible and focused men.

He assured that the Police would resist any attempt at forcefully taking over the union’s leadership.

“We would ensure a smooth transition and that everyone does what is required of him without any rancour,” the Police boss submitted.