The Lagos State Council Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Alhaji Musiliu Akinsanya (aka MC Oluomo), has described himself as a promoter of peace.
He said this while denying the allegations levelled against him in a query issued to him by the National body of the union.
He was accused of insubordination and refusing to carry out the instructions of the President, Alhaji Tajudeen Baruwa.
This is coming amid tension over the frosty relationship between Oluomo and the national leadership of the union.
Daily Trust reports that the bone of contention is the leadership of the Tricycle Operators Association which is an affiliate of the NURTW.
In the letter dated February 14, by the General Secretary of the union, Alhaji Kabiru Ado Yau, Akinsanya was accused of refusing to carry out directives given to him in by the national body.
The letter read: “Our attention has been drawn to the fact that despite the National Secretariat’s directives during a meeting with you and other members of the Lagos State Administrative Council (SAC) in Abuja on February 9, pertaining the appointment of Alhaji Azeez Abiola as chairman, Lagos State NURTW Tricycle Operators, you have refused to comply. Instead, you have resorted to intimidation and assault on the newly appointed tricycle chairman.”
The National body added that Akinsanya refused to hand over the former NURTW Secretariat situated at Abule Egba to the tricycle caretaker committee in a bid to prevent them from using the office.
Akinsanya was also accused by the National body of using thugs to forcefully take over branches of his perceived enemies.
“It is on record that you mobilised thugs to forcefully take over the operations of some local branches headed by perceived opponents. To avoid the wrath of the union, the national headquarters, directed M C Oluomo to within 48 hours hand over the former state council secretariat at Abule Egba to the newly appointed Lagos state Tricycle Committee; withdraw all those men you sent to take over the branches of your perceived opponents and submit a written apology to the national secretariat.”
In his reply to the query issued to him, Akinsanya stated that he faithfully complied with the laws guiding the union’s operations in his dealings with other affiliate unions.
He assured that he would not 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.”
Making reference to 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.
“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.
He said the decision to rearrange the tricycle segment of our operations was reached y the entire executive of the State with the knowledge and approval of the President.
“The initial plan was a 3 zone arrangement, but we accommodated the wishes of the President for a 5-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 teaders of the State Council and it was done with the concurrence of the National President. It was never to create rivalry and/or disharmony, and until now, the peace that we have in Lagos State was never experienced by previous administrations.”
On allegation of using thugs to forcefully take over branches of his perceived enemies, Akinsanya said nothing of such ever happened under his leadership.
“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, the same shall be investigated openly and the cause/reason determined,” he said.
