Events of the last three weeks in the affairs of the Lagos State Chapter of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) have left many tongues wagging as to what the fate of motorists and commercial bus drivers would be in the face of the ongoing union suspension and leadership vacuum in the state.
Recall that there has been a tussle between the national leadership of the NURTW and the Lagos State Chapter Chairman of the union in the person of Musiliu Akinsanya popularly known as MC Oluomo.
It was learnt that the brouhaha started with the national leadership of the union appointing Alhaji Azeez Abiola aka Istijabah as the Tricycle Owners and Operators Association of Nigeria (TOOAN) Chairman in Lagos State. This obviously did not go well with MC Oluomo and his lieutenants. It was said that MC Oluomo rejected in total the appointment of Istijabah, citing the appointment as one that could cause disunity and mayhem in the state union.
The national leadership of the union found MC Oluomo's action disrespectful to the statutes of the union, hence he was suspended on the ground of misconduct, insubordination, and inciting members of the state chapter against the apex body.
After several efforts to settle the matter amicably proved abortive, MC Oluomo led Lagos State Chapter of the union in reaction to his suspension by the national body, called on the Lagos State Government to ban the activities of NURTW in the state, citing the lingering crises with the national body as a reason for the call.
This is contained in his address of Thursday 10 March at Agege, Lagos where he stated that "there has been some crisis in our umbrella body, NURTW. All attempts to have an amicable resolution have failed. In fact. we have protested to the Lagos State Government about the State of affairs in our Union.
“Being law-abiding and responsible citizens, we have decided to explore all avenues for peace in the interest of all, we will not support any action that can threaten the peace that we cherish so much in Lagos State.
“Therefore, I, Comrade Musiliu Ayinde Akinsanya, on beha|f of the State Administrative Council, State Executive Council members and the entire union rank and file members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, Lagos State Council with over 200 branches and zones hereby resolve to immediately withdraw our membership and operation from the National body of NURTW for peace to reign in Lagos State..."
The Lagos State Government in a statement of March 10, 2022, titled, ‘Lagos Suspends NURTW From Parks’ and signed by the State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Gbenga Omotoso, said “After considering the provisions of the law, the Government hereby suspends the activities of NURTW, which must cease to operate in all parks and garages in Lagos State.
“The Government will set up a committee to immediately take control of the parks and garages. Members of the committee will be key stakeholders in the sector.”
Interestingly, barely 12 hours after the state government announced the suspension of further activities of NURTW from motor parks and garages across the state, a message congratulating MC Oluomo on his appointment as a Park Manager of the state was posted by MC Oluomo's son, King West, via his Instagram handle.
Immediately, however, the State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, simply described the news as “FAKE report.”
Also reacting through his Twitter handle @gboyegaakosile, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Gboyega Akosile, urged members of the public to disregard the report on the appointment, saying, “there is no such appointment.
However, reports from reliable quarters reveal that the withdrawal of the Lagos State Chapter of NURTW from the national body was a script written by MC Oluomo in collaboration with the Lagos State Government, as the same MC Oluomo and his lieutenants will still be announced as managers of the state motor parks and garages.
Another surprising thing that confirms the suspension order as being faux is the full display of a birthday cake designed in NURTW uniform at MC Oluomo's birthday.
Meanwhile, when Islanders monitored the level of compliance on suspension order of operations, some NURTW members were still seen in mufti collecting money from commercial bus drivers at different locations of the state. When asked on whose authority they were collecting the money knowing full well that they have been suspended, some of the NURTW members, who spoke in confidence, claimed they were directed by the chairman, Mc Oluomo to collect money pending the creation of an ad-hoc committee which will subsequently, oversee the affairs of the union.
Islanders also got in touch with the Chief Press Secretary to the Lagos State Governor, Mr Gboyega Akosile, through a text message in order to hear the side of the government. Here is his reaction: "those tickets are for Lagos State, not union."
From the foregoing, MC Oluomo seems to be the leading actor and the one calling the shots in the whole brouhaha, yet no one has called him to order.
This then leaves one to say, who is really afraid of MC Oluomo?
If new parks managers for the state have not been appointed, is MC Oluomo still parading himself as the chairman of a suspended union or asking his boys to collect money from commercial bus drivers?
Why are proceeds of the money collected being remitted to him?
Shouldn't the selling of tickets and the forceful collection of money from commercial bus drivers be put on hold pending the inauguration of the parks committee?
Shouldn't the Lagos State Government be swift about its decision and set up the parks management committee in the state?
The above questions and many others are begging for answers as people are already doubting the sincerity and neutrality of the State government in managing the situation.
For the State Government to win people's trust in this matter, the enforcement of its suspension of the union activities need to be strictly adhered to pending its appointment of the park managers. There goes the saying that one cannot be a judge in one's case. MC Oluomo is the main actor in the face-off with the national body of NURTW. Hence, the state government should not make the mistake of appointing him ( MC Oluomo) as the park manager.
Meanwhile, more alleged dirty details of why state government will not remove MC Oluomo in his position will be reveal in our next story.
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