How Akeredolu’s Aides Encourage Crisis In Drivers Union – Concerned Drivers Raise Alarm

Some concerned Commercial Vehicle Drivers in Ondo State have traced the crisis rocking the State Chapter of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, (NURTW) to undue interference by Aides to Governor Rotimi Akeredolu.

The drivers, through their spokesman, Abayomi Adeniji,  alleged that some aides to Governor Akeredolu have hijacked NURTW in the State, thus making it difficult to resolve the crisis rocking the Union.

Following the crisis, which has lingered for two years, the state leadership of the union led by Jacob Adebo, aka Idajo, was dissolved with the national leadership taken over.

About two week ago, the state government set up a park Management Committee under the headship of the sacked Chairman, Idaho.

Since then, motor parks in the State have been taken over by touts that prevented members of the committee from overseeing activities at the parks.

In a statement in Akure, the Spokesman stated that some NURTW members drew their inspiration and confidence from these aides to challenge and disregard decisions of the State Government concerning the crisis.

Adeniji, wondered why the state government would take a decision and some people flagrantly disobey it and called on Governor Akeredolu to investigate the claims to know why efforts of his government to resolve the crisis failed.

“We know that Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu is a man of peace. His Government made several efforts to resolve the protracted crisis in the NURTW, but these efforts did not yield any result.

“Since the crisis could not be resolved, the state Government decided to suspend the NURTW activities in the state and set up the State Park Management Committee.

“We thought this action of the government would bring respite. But we didn’t know we were joking and deceiving ourselves.

“It is unfortunate that the Park Management Committee cannot function about two weeks after its inauguration because it is unacceptable to some people.

“They violently protested the suspension of the NURTW activities and claimed that the government had no power to take such an action. One person was killed during the protest and, up till now, nothing has happened to the killers.

“Despite the peace and reconciliatory efforts of the government, these elements are still vowing that they will not allow the decision of the government to stand.

“Reports said that on Monday, they met in the house of one of their leaders where they decided to continue to cause violence in the state so that the government can reverse its decision.

“Our investigations revealed that there are some people in the Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu’s government that are supporting these elements.

“It is from these aides of the governor that they draw their inspiration and confidence. That is why they have the effrontery to disregard the state government and challenge its decision.

“We have the same situation in Oyo, Ogun and Lagos states. Nobody or group of people have dared the governments of these states for taking actions that would ensure peace.

“Why Ondo state is different is because of the saboteurs in the state corridors of power.

“We hereby call on Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu to conduct an investigation into all our claims with the aim of finding out those in his government that are fanning the ember of crisis among commercial drivers in Ondo state.

“We believe there will be peace if these people are exposed and reined in. The crisis is affecting us seriously. As commercial drivers, we need peace to operate.”