Crisis Looms In Ondo Parks As NURTW Faction Demands Power Shift

By Ayodele Oni

Crisis is looming among members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, (NURTW) in Ondo state as a section of the union is demanding power shift to the south senatorial district of the state.

Those demanding for power shift base argument on the fact that two other zones, north and central have spent six and eight years respectively, leaving out the south.

Investigation reveal that the NURTW in the state has been polarized to the extent that the incumbent Governor determines who becomes what within the union.

The current leadership of the union is led by one Mr Adebo Idajo, a close ally of the immediate past governor, late Oluwarotimi Akeredolu.

Even after a long protracted crisis, which led to the dissolution of the state executive, the park management committee constituted by the state government is still under the leadership of Idajo.

In a letter to the state Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, the National Union of Road Transport Workers in Ondo South, informed him that it is the turn of the zone to produce the next Chairman of the union.

A spokesman for the union in the zone, Mr. Ojo Dayo made this known while speaking with newsmen in Akure.

According to Ojo, the letter was submitted to the Governor through the office of Chief of Staff to the Governor on Friday 5th January, 2023.

He said, “it is now the turn of Ondo South to produce the next state chairman of the union. During Governor Olusegun Mimiko regime, Mr. Obayoriade Daddymatter from Ondo North, occupied the position of the state chairman for a period of six years or thereabouts. Jimi Obama from Ondo Central took over from Daddymatter and spent six months and later handed over power to Mr. Ariyo Adetula from Ondo Central and spent a year and four months.

“When late Governor Akeredolu came on board, he appointed Mr. Jacob Adebo Idajo from Ondo central again. Following the aforementioned reasons, we want to strongly appeal to the Governor to appoint the next state chairman of the union from Ondo South.”

They also called on the Governor Aiyedatiwa to wade into the matter as a matter of urgency and appoint a southerner who can pilot the affairs of the union and carry everybody along.