The four zonal chairmen of the Tricycle Owners and Operators Association of Nigeria (TOOAN) in Lagos State, have pledged allegiance to Council Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Alhaji Musiliu Akinsanya (aka. MC Oluomo).

The chairmen and hundreds of their members stormed the NURTW Agege State secretariat to express displeasure over the alleged interference of the national body of the NURTW in TOOAN affairs.

They warned the Zone ‘C’ Chairman of TOOAN, Alhaji Azeez Abiola (aka. Istijabah) to desist from parading himself as the overall chairman of TOOAN in the state.

Coordinator of the chairmen and Zone ‘A’ Chairman Alhaji Kamoli Bakare (aka Papi), said the zonal chairmen are unaware and never subscribed to the appointment of Abiola as their leader.

“TOOAN comprises five Zones – A, B, C, D, and E, of which I’m 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’s parading on social media as untrue,” he said.

According to him, five of them including Abiola were interviewed for the position of zonal chairmen and they were sworn in on March 12, 2020, for a four-year term in office.

Chairman of Zone ‘D’ Comrade Taofeek Azeez urged the NURTW National President 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 Lagos State Council. Such action could destroy what we currently enjoy in the state,” he said.

He added that Bakare was appointed by TOOAN chairmen after inauguration to be their coordinator and has not done anything to warrant his removal.

Chairman of Zone ‘E’ Comrade Olamilekan Mogaji Adejonwo, said the issues on the ground could be resolved with the union constitution.

Adejonwo popularly called Gaji, said: “It wasn’t something hard, every association has a constitution and if followed, there won’t be a crisis. TOOAN is not an affiliate of the national body of NURTW. It is an affiliate of the Lagos State Council of the union. I don’t think it is the president that approached him; I believe he’s the one that lobbied with the president.

“The president should consult the constitution before making decisions, though some things that are done outside the constitution; this case is on a different note. When we visited Lagos State Commissioner of Police (CP), he agreed with us that the mistake was indeed from the president,” he added. (The Nation)

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