Road Transport Employers Association exonerates self from violent wrangling within Ogun State transport sector

The Road Transport Employers’ Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), Ogun State Chapter has exonerated itself from internal wrangling within National Union of Road Transport Workers,(NURTW), with a call on Governor Dapo Abiodun and other stakeholders to call to order Akeem Bodunrin popularly called ‘Iyeru’, the Chairman of Ogun State Parks Management alleged to be sponsor of recent bloody clash within the transport sector.

Penpushing reports that Secretary of the Road Transport Employers Association of  Nigeria(RTEAN), Comrade Tiwale Akingbade made the clarification and appeal call on Friday at a press conference held in Abeokuta, adding that the sector had been enjoying peace and comradeship until recent sponsored attack on its chairman Comrade Akibu Titilayo, known as ‘Efele’ and the entire Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria RTEAN in the state for no just cause, causing fear and apprehension among citizens in Abeokuta and across the state

“Our Association, Road Transport Employers’ Association of Nigeria, RTEAN has no time been involved in the internal scrabbles of NURTW.  Our State Chairman has no interest in the affairs of NURTW in Ogun State or elsewhere. We are employers in the transport sector of the State economy. We also have our internal leadership challenges but we manage them maturely and skillfully. We never allow them to  be externalized, and we prevent implosion”,Akingbade said

“We are aback when Mr. Akeem Bodunrin, alias Iyeru, wrongly, and baselessly accused our State Chairman, Comrade Akibu Titilayo (a.k.a. Efele) of being the brain behind the State government’s decision sharing OGSPAM’s one-week work with NURTW. According to the sharing formula, the Iyeru-led OGSPAM would operate in Ogun Central and Ogun West Senatorial Districts while NURTW would operate only in Ogun East Senatorial District”, he added

“Three days ago, Mr. Akeem Bodunrin a.k.a. Iyeru led members of his OGSPAM to attack our State Chairman, Comrade Akibu Titilayo, a.k.a Efele while in the company of the State governor at the palace of Olu of Itori, Oba AbdulFatai Akorede Akamo. Many of our members who accompanied our State Chairman, Efele received various degree of injuries from the gun and matchet attacks. Gun was fired directly at Comrade Akibu Titilayo who escaped by whiskers.

Penpushing further reports that. Akingbade alleged that  Iyeru has been issuing threats to take over all parks and garages in the state from  members of Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) during the one-week work that would be due from January 2, 2023.

“We want the State government and all the agencies to caution Mr. Akeem Bodunrin alias Iyeru not to further exacerbate the security situation in the State. He should not plunge the State into unnecessary upheavals and needless insecurity, especially during this yuletide and election season. Gentlemen of the Press, we have invited you to this briefing in order to keep you abreast of the recent development in the transport sector of the economy of Ogun State”

“We had enjoyed peace and comradery in our sector for all times, thanks to the understanding and good working relationship within the sector. This was made possible because of the system of one-week-work, one-week-rest put in place by past administrations in the State. This congenial and peaceful atmosphere was truncated four days ago shortly after the State government announced the recognition of the leader of Ogun State Chapter of National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Mr. Mustapha Ismail alias Yaro, in the transport business in the State’,Akingbade noted

“Mr. Akeem Bodunrin alias Iyeru, the Chairman of Ogun State Parks Management has launched a series of attacks and threats against our State Chairman, Comrade Akibu Titilayo, a.k.a. Efele and the entire Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria RTEAN in the State for no just cause, causing fear and apprehension among citizens in the State capital, Abeokuta and across the State’,he alleged.

“You would recall that about four years ago NURTW, Ogun State Chapter was enmeshed in leadership crisis between Messrs. Akeem Bodunrin, alias, Iyeru and Mustapha Ismail alias Yaro. In order to prevent turning Ogun State into the theatre of war between the two NURTW factions in the State, the new administration of His Excellency, Prince Dapo Abiodun MFR, intervened and locked up the State Secretariat of NURTW:

“The State government set up the Ogun State Park Management and appointed Mr. Akeem Bodunrin, alias Iyeru, the Chairman while the government banned NURTW from operating in all parks and garages in Ogun State. For the past three and a half years, Iyeru’s OGSPAM has been operating the one-week work of NURTW in the State.The ban, on Mr. Mustapha Ismail alias Yaro-led NURTW  was lifted early this week. The State government in its wisdom  decided to share the one-week work between Yaro-led NURTW and Iyeru-led OGSPAM since both of them belong to the same Union’, he explained.

Penpushing also reports that Akingbade emphasized that the import of the press conference was to keep security and general public abreast on the ugly  development and let them know that  Road Transport Employees Association of Nigeria(RTEAN) will not fold its arms and receive violent attacks from any quarters, hence need to call to order the attackers and their sponsors

“We are informing all the security agencies, the police, DSS, NSCDC, Amotekun, So-Safe and others, the State government and the general public that we, at the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria, RTEAN, would not sit idly, fold our arms and receive violent attacks from Iyeru’s thugs and hooligans. We are peace-loving road transport business people. We believe that our business could only thrive in a peaceful atmosphere and a sustainable business climate’, the association said

“Mr. Akeem Bodunrin alias Iyeru should look elsewhere to vent his anger and blames. We would not tolerate any attempt to cause disruption to our business during our one-week work of our operation in Ogun State. We want the state government and all the agencies to caution Mr. Akeem Bodunrin alias Iyeru not to further exacerbate the security situation in the State. He should not plunge the state into unnecessary upheavals and needless insecurity, especially during this yuletide and election season’, Akingbade stated.

“The state and the country have had enough state of insecurity and, all of us should only look forward to voting peacefully come February and March, 2023. We also advise our brother and friend, Comrade Akeem Bodunrin, Iyeru, not to allow himself to be used by the opposition party to create needless State of panic and violence in Ogun State. He should support the decisions of the state government ably led by our amiable gentleman, Prince Dapo Abiodun MFR’, he said

‘We further call on all traditional rulers in the state, particularly, Alake and Paramount Ruler of Egba land, Oba Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo, CFR., Okukenu IV and all past Governors, leaders, elders and other stakeholders to caution Mr. Akeem Bodunrin, alias Iyeru, and call him to order, not to plunge the state into violence. Ogun State has had enough of its own share of insecurity in the country. All hands must rather be on deck to have peaceful electioneering campaign and elections free from violence’, Akingbade stressed

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