NURTW Cancels Presidential Election; Parties Fail To Reach Consensus

LUCKY LAWAL

 The National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, at the Federal level has cancelled a pre-election to choose the National President of the transport union on 15th May, 2019, held at the Zonal office of the NURTW, Oshogbo in Osun State.

According to information available to P.M.EXPRESS, the National Presidency has been zoned to the Southwest region of the country and the post is being contested for.

The National Treasurer of the NURTW, Alhaji Ibikunle Baruwa and the Lagos State Chairman of the NURTW, Alhaji Tajudeen Agbede, are contesting for the post of the President while the two candidates contesting for the post of the Vice President are Comrade Olalekan Folorunsho Salami and Alhaji Akeem Adeosun Jago.

The Coordinators took out time to advice the contestants and delegates who were present with their representatives on the conduct of the exercise. One of the coordinators, Comrade Kefas Dogonyaro, the HOD Information for the National NURTW, admonished all members and asked them to settle issues by going into a meeting.

The Election Council also gave room for observations which was said to be duly addressed and resolved in the elders forum stated for 30minutes in order to bring understanding among the contestants and their supporters before the election.

Alhaji Nosiru Komolafe, the former National Treasurer as one of the elders, concluded that since they could not reach a consensus, the committee on election should report back to Abuja to reschedule the election. He posited that they should be given time to go back and deliberate because the area was tensed and since they do not want any problem, they should allow the people in Abuja to handle the election in order to avoid trouble in the zone since they could not reach a conclusion.

One of the issues raised was that of two people coming from one state which was not supposed to be raised by Comrade Samuel Ebulola Jonah, pioneer Lagos Chairman in the 70s. He said, “I observed that two people are coming from one state which is not supposed to be but Alhaji  Ibikunle Baruwa made an accusation about the Lagos elders being biased and also said that anyone from the zone can nominate any candidate only that they must not come from the same state”. He was well composed and accused some people of trying to sabotage the election while Alhaji Agbede complained of threat on delegates to vote for a particular candidate.

The HOD information, Alhaji Kefas, also took time to also consult with the committee and got back to the audience.

Eventually, they came to the conclusion that the election should be postponed to avoid any problem. The only candidate that was unopposed was the newly elected National Trustee Chairman, Comrade Adebo Jacob, Chairman, Ondo State NURTW, who said that to avoid fight breaking out, the National Head at Abuja should intervene and the right person should be assigned the post.

P.M.EXPRESS gathered that some of the elders, who were also delegates assigned to appeal to the contestants, came out to make mockery of Agbede’s request at the elders meeting requesting for the elders to cancel the election and raise his hands up as the winner. He was quoted in Yoruba language saying, “Agbede said, Enowó mi soke, mi o dibo mó” meaning raise my hands up, I am not voting again.

The Lagos State NURTW Chairman, Alhaji Agbede, wants the elders among the delegate to raise his hands and declare him as the winner without electoral process. One of the delegates, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said while coming out of the meeting, ”

Imagine, it’s not possible to raise a contestant’s hand without winning the election. The other Presidential candidate is the people’s choice which he Agbede knows and is scared of, he wants to be settled before he surrenders but it’s not going to be possible, he said.

When P.M.EXPRESS asked Alhaji Agbede what he thinks about the cancelled election, he said he has to follow the decision of the elders and the Union’s electoral committee decision.

Alhaji Tukur, Special Adviser to the National President, expressed disappointment at the turn out of things and quoting the peace during the electoral process that had taken place in other zones without trouble. He advised the candidates and their supporters to avoid causing any trouble until the issue is resolved at the National level.