With less than three months into the election of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, the Caretaker Chairmen of the Union across the six states on Tuesday disowned their Vice President, Tajudeen Agbede for alleged misconduct.
In a statement signed by the leaders in the Southwest in Osogbo yesterday, copy of which was made available to newsmen, they also indicted the immediate past national president of the union, Alhaji Usman Najeem Yasin, alleging that he was involved in acts causing problems as well as disunity in the union.
The South West leaders in a statement jointly signed by Chief Olalekan Folorunsho who is the Zonal Chairman; Abideen Olajide (Oyo State Chairman), Joseph Falope (Ekiti State Chairman), Rauf Fakorede (Osun State Chairman), Fatai Adesina ((Lagos State Chairman), Oluwatoyin Olaoye (Ondo State Chairman) and Ismail Mustapha (Ogun State Chairman), also passed vote of confidence on the incumbent president, Alhaji Tajudeen Ibikunle Baruwa.
According to them, “Agbede is the brain behind the present problems in Lagos State Council of our union. He cannot deny not being involved in the crisis of NURTW in Lagos State.
He should be reminded that the day Park Management System was inaugurated in Lagos State, his presence was registered at the venue. Imagine a National Officer of NURTW sitting in a chamber where another organization is being inaugurated against our great union? He is only pretending, we know he was part of the scandalous elements acting as saboteur under pretence”.
The communique reads further, “We are using this medium to react to a frivolous and an unloyal letter which was signed by Alhaji Tajudeen Badru Agbede and Alhaji Akeem Adeosun, National Vice-President and National Trustee respectively.
“Even though their attainment to those positions were unconstitutional in 2019, the outgone administration led by Alhaji Usman Najeem Yasin that employed strange means and system other than following the constitution of our great union, brought them to the positions they are occupying.
“It would be recalled that the Zonal Delegate Conference which was supposed to have taken place at the South West Zonal Council in Osogbo ended abruptly as there were two contestants; after which Chief Olalekan Folorunsho (Salami) emerged as the Vice-President while Mr. Jacob Adebo, one of the former Ondo state chairmen was also duly elected as a trustee.
“So, it was remaining the President position where Alhaji Usman Najeem Yasin tried to manipulate by going against the constitution in which he employed dirty and unconstitutional means of imposing his candidate, Tajudeen Agbede but he failed.
“After his failure, God miraculously ordained Baruwa to be President through heavenly interventions. Yasin, then decided in a bid to compensate Agbede appointed him (Tajudeen Agbede) and Akeem Adeosun as Vice-President and Trustee respectively, the positions that were already won by other officers at the Zonal Delegate Conference. Yasin overturned the rule of law to satisfy his men.”
According to them, they stated that there are lots of misconceptions in the letter said to have been written and signed by Agbede and Adeosun against the current leadership of the Union.
“The issue of some of the South West states being administered by caretakers, is as a result of the Yasin’s inability to stand on his feet.
“The problem of the Union in Ogun state and Oyo State councils were caused and decided by Yasin and Agbede. We have all facts and figures of when they were trying to plot prior to the Zonal Delegate Conference.”
They alleged that the plans of Yasin was evident in the mobilization of Mukaila Lamidi popularly known as Auxiliary and his cohorts to the Delegate Conference Venue of the Union, adding that thugs in more than 50 vehicles stormed the Congress venue.
“We are living witness but they failed! They later went back to Oyo State in company of Yasin and hobnobbed with Auxiliary to go against the Alhaji Abideen Olajide (Ejiogbe) group.
While commending the National President, Alhaji Tajudeen Ibikunle Baruwa, they said “He did not sell out the Union because of money. He is the person that has made the Union to be existing at the national level. He was bribed but he turned down the offer.”
The South West union leaders expressed optimism in their legitimate reinstatements as they said they are sailing through the hard time.
“The meeting held today resolved that the authentic delegates from the South West zone who are duly recognised by the National Headquarters do affirm our loyalty to the present administration led by Baruwa.
“We thank the National Headquarters under the leadership of Baruwa for standing by our zone despite the travails we are going through at the moment. We are also supporting Baruwa for second term as President of NURTW,”they stressed.
