…indicts monarch
…as monarch distances self from attack
By Olasunkanmi Akoni
The leadership of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria, RTEAN, has urged Lagos State Governor, Bababjide Sanwo-Olu, and the Commissioner of Police, CP, to intervene in the on-going dispute within transport union in the state to avert imminent bloody clash in the state.
While urging Sanwo-Olu for his prompt intervention in the dispute, RTEAN in Lagos accused the committee, chaired by the Oniba of Iba, Oba Raji Adeshina, of terrorising its members.
Recall that Governor Sanwo-Olu disbanded the RTEAN and replaced it with a caretaker committee.
Subsequently, the National Industrial Court, NIC, Lagos Division, ruled that the union be reinstated and its officials return to office following a suit instituted by aggrieved party.
NIC had on the April 29, 2023, delivered a landmark judgement in the dispute between RTEAN and the defendants among who is Oba Adeshina Raji.
Prominent among the pronouncements of the court is a restraining order on the said monarch not to molest, intimidate or harass members of the transport union in the lawful performance of their duties.
Briefing the media, the RETEAN acting Chairman, Aransiola Qudus, accused the committee of consistently harassing, intimidating and molesting RTEAN members.
According to Qudus: “It has however, been brought to our notice that the said Oba Adeshina Raji and his committe members have consistently harassed, intimidate and molest unabated our union members for no reason.
“This action of Oba Adeshina Raji and his cohorts, is totally against all the content and context of the said judgement of the court.
“While urging our members to continue to await the response of the Lagos Government on the said judgement should go about their lawful business.
“On June 16, one of our members, Azeez Gbalanga, was attacked and beaten. We reported this to the Ajangbadi Police Station and he was rushed to Badagry General hospital for treatment.
“This action is totally against all the content and context of the court judgement. We hope the commissioner of police will act to nip this nefarious acts of Oba Raji and his cohorts in the bud.
“We hereby, call on the Lagos State Governor Bababjide Sanwo-Olu and his Deputy, Obafemi Hamzat and the Lagos State Commissioner of Police to please call the Kabiesi Oba Adeshina Raji And his cohorts to order before he turns Lagos to a war field.
“Its our desire that Lagos remains a peaceful and welcoming state as the State Government has consistently worked on for a peaceful and progressive atmosphere for so many years now.
“We hope that the commissioner of police, Lagos Command will act with dispatch to be able to nib in bud this nefarious activities of Oba Adeshina Raji and his cohorts.”
Meanwhile, the monarch has denied knowledge of the attack.
Oba Adeshina, stated:“I don’t know anything about the matter. I was at the State House on the said date to witness the swearing in of one of our daughters as Secretary to the State Government, SSG.
“How would I, a monarch, be ordering thugs to beat up people who should naturally be my subjects? It doesn’t add up.
“The RTEAN should go and settle its internal squabbles and leave me out of it.”
The post Tussle: Avert looming bloody clash in Lagos, RTEAN sends S.O.S to Sanwo-Olu appeared first on Vanguard News.
