Ondo NURTW crisis deepens, mock coffin carried round the state

The crisis within the Ondo State Chapter of the
National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, took
a new dimension as a mock coffin was carried round
Akure, the state capital, yesterday.

For hours the protesting members of the union disrupted
both business and traffic movement within the
metropolis.

After the protest to the Governor's Office, Government
House and round the majour streets with various
placards, they took over union secretariat, vowing to
resist the reinstatement of the suspended chairman,
Chief Obayoriade Oladutele.

The protesters who were drawn from various branches of
the union said they would resist the imposition of the
embattled chairman of the union, Obayoriade.
Total re-organisation

Speaking with newsmen, their spokesperson, Mayowa
Olofinniyi, tasked the state government to conduct a
total re-organisation of the state council of the union in
order to prevent crisis in the state.

Olofinniyi said the protest was necessitated by the
alleged move of a government official (names withheld)
to impose the chairman on them.

According to him, "there was the need for a complete
overhauling of the leadership of the union in the state to
engender peace and tranquility.

In a letter addressed to Governor Olusegun Mimiko, the
protesters alleged that they were sent away from their
various parks over four years ago for no reason.

They, however, noted that any attempt to bring back the
suspended chairman would further aggravate the crisis
in the union, as many of the members were already
working without fear or favour.

Dissolution of executives
However, apart from rejecting the purported attempt to
bring back Obayoriade, the protesters also demanded
the dissolution of the executives of all branches across
the state.

It would be recalled that the national secretariat of the
union suspended Obayoriade over allegation of printing
of illegal tickets of the union.

The executive of the union in the state however escaped
the axe of the national secretariat.

It hinged the suspension of Obayoriade on the need for
proper investigation of allegations leveled against him.

An aide to the embattled Chairman in his reaction said: "
God is in control and the devil will soon be put to shame
in NURTW Ondo state Chapter"