No way! Protesting Lagos NURTW members reject MC Oluomo

Some members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers in Lagos State staged a protest at the state House of Assembly on Wednesday rejecting the emergence of Musiliu Akinsanya, aka MC Oluomo, as the chairman of the caretaker committee of the body in the state.

The protesters condemned Akinsanya’s emergence, saying he and his supporters and backers were working against the constitution of the union.

It was learnt that the National President of the NURTW, Alhaji Tajudeen Baruwa, appointed Akinsanya as the caretaker chairman following the dissolution of the executive committee in the state.

But the protesters believed that Akinsanya, who is contesting the state NURTW chairmanship, would use his position as the head of the caretaker committee to impose himself as the state chairman.

One of the protesting members, who identified himself simply as Nosiru, said Akinsanya and his followers had been working against the constitution of the union, adding that there would be trouble if he was imposed on members.

Nosiru stated, “We are here to protest because the NURTW constitution is not respected. The Governor’s Office and the Lagos State House of Assembly, where we are protesting, usually uphold the constitution of the NURTW in the state. Akinsanya and his followers believe that they are above the law; they are working against the constitution. We are surprised to hear this morning that he is the chairman of the caretaker committee.

“The list, where he was appointed as the chairman of the caretaker committee, consists of people who are destroying the NURTW in Lagos. We want the governor to intervene, because if they impose Akinsanya on us, there will be trouble and a lot of unrest will happen in the state.”

The Chairman of the Ojuwoye Branch A, NURTW, Ademola Olanrewaju, who was also among the protesters, noted that Akinsanya’s emergence was influenced by top officials of the union.

Olanrewaju said, “A meeting was held yesterday (Tuesday) and at the end, Akinsanya emerged as the chairman of the caretaker committee. Directly or indirectly, they are trying to impose him on us because there was fracas in Abuja and both parties were supposed to be dealt with, but Akinsanya’s group was exonerated.

“What we are agitating for is that we don’t want MC Oluomo’s government in Lagos State. We don’t want to die young.”

Another protester, Muri, aka Ijongbon Poly, urged Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to intervene in the crisis before the situation gets out of hand.

He said, “We are here to appeal to the governor to intervene in the NURTW election so that due process will be followed. We don’t want Akinsanya to destroy the union, so we want the government to assist us. We are fervent members of the APC; we also want our national leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, to intervene.” Punch