Tricycle Owners Operators Association of Nigeria (TOOAN) in Lagos, has described the response of the Chairman of National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in the state, Alhaji Musiliu Akinsanya (MC Oluomo) to the query issued him by the National Headquarters of as ’tissue of lies’ and ‘laughing stock’.
The association through the Office of the Lagos State Chairman of TOOAN, said that based on the quality of his responses to the query, it shows MC Oluomo was only desperate to continue to emasculate the tricycle operators in the state, adding that it was in his presence that the National body handed over appointment letter to Alhaji Azeez Abiola (Istijabah) as TOOAN Chairman.
” The National body copied the secretary of Lagos NURTW the appointment letter of Istijabah so there is no way MC Oluomo will claim not to be aware of our Chairman’s appointment”, said TOOAN.
The Tricycle Operators stated that there was video evidences on how Istijabah and some of their members were manhandled and attacked, saying that MC Oluomo’s claims were concocted to avoid being sanctioned by the National body.
On the leasing of TOOAN secretariat for the Almagamated Mega City Transport Limited, the association said no NURTW Chairman has the right to negotiate on behalf of the National body, adding that the office does not belong to Lagos NURTW.
” Any NURTW property belongs to the National body and so, MC Oluomo has not right to lease it to anybody or company. He met the property, some people were Chairmen before him, they did not lease it. Before such thing can happen, a letter must be written to the National Headquarters and a reply sent back from there to the Lagos Council. The past State Chairman proposed to use the office for National Union Hospital so as to assist union members”, said TOOAN.
On the issue of lawsuit in the National Industrial Court, the Association said both TOAN and TOOAN had settled out of Court because the TOAN is part of the association, saying that MC Oluomo did not get the information right.
” Meanwhile, the law suit has nothing to do with MC Oluomo, he was only using it as a Cover up. It is shameful that he does not get the information right”, said TOOAN.
” The NURTW has an operational constitution and everything we do is guided by the provisions of this constitution. We have to wait for the National Headquarters. They need to do press conference on this and let the world know that MC Oluomo lied in his responses to the query issued him. The National body needs to counter whatever lies he had made. He cannot see himself as Lord over everyone in the Union, he was not the one who registered NURTW, it was registered by the federal government of Nigeria. What he is doing tarnishes the image of the union”, said TOOAN.
The Association alleged that MC Oluomo continues to threaten and intimidate their members and also ordered them to do video to denounce Istijabah as the State Chairman.
” We have list of 30 members of our association whose parks have been taken over by MC Oluomo simply because they refused to denounce the Istijabah”, TOOAN said.
