The National Union of Road Transport Workers in Oyo State has expressed shock on the reports linking the Union with violence saying that Governor Seyi Makinde should accept his shortcomings for appointing a personality with questionable character to head the Park Management System.
Governor Makinde had proscribed the NURTW in the state on 31st May, 2019.
The NURTW, in a statement by its Deputy General Secretary, Alh. Suleiman Musa, on Friday, recalled that the Chairman of the PMS in the state, Mukaila Lamidi a.k.a Auxiliary, was expelled from the Union way back in the year 2011 before his appointment by the current administration in the state.
The statement read in parts, “The National Union of Road Transport Workers is miffed by the persistent reports labelling the union with Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde’s appointed Chairman of the Park Management System, Mukaila Lamidi, popularly called Auxiliary and the Union is once again distancing itself from the atrocities committed by the individual.
“Mukaila Lamidi a.k.a Auxiliary, appointed as Chairman of the park Managers outfit created by the Oyo State governor was expelled from the Union way back in the year 2011 before he was empowered to unleash mayhem on the people of Oyo State under the guise of running parks for the government.”
The statement by the Union viewed the persistent reports linking it with the nefarious activities of the governor’s appointee as highly unacceptable and urged the Oyo State Government to do the needful by calling him to order to prevent avoidable clashes resulting in wanton destruction of properties and loss of lives.
The statement described the NURTW as a body of law abiding individuals making a living in the transport sector and averse to all forms of violent activities capable of putting their source of livelihood in jeopardy.
It further read that “The constitution of the Union is very clear in dealing with identified dissidents or bad eggs like the expelled appointee of the governor whose conduct, so far, had justified the position of the NURTW that such elements should not be accommodated among peace loving members.”
The statement equally appealed to the media and the general public to stop attributing the excesses of the ignoble Park Managers Outfit or “the nefarious undertaking of its appointed Chairman to the NURTW which remains committed to promoting and sustaining the peace at all times because the breach of peace would deprive members the opportunity to make a living in the industry.”
Recall that the governor had, in a statement made available to journalists in Ibadan on Thursday, by his Chief Press Secretary, Taiwo Adisa, said that perpetrators of the crime shall be brought to book.
The governor’s statement had read, “I give you my word that we will ensure that everyone involved in the dastardly act is brought to book.
“I have ordered investigations. In the meantime, we will sanitise the area behind Iwo Road where cultists congregate, and review the Park Management System.”
