OKADA BAN: LG Boss, Councillors Clash Over Allowance  

The restriction of commercial motorcycle riders, popularly called Okada riders, to some roads is taking its toll on the revenue generation of Igando Ikotun Local Government, as the council boss has withdrawn the weekly allowances for councillors in the area.

Fight broke out between the council boss,  Mrs. Morenike Williams and the  councillors yesterday over  the withdrawal of the N3,000 weekly allowance given to them.

P.M.NEWS learnt that the aggrieved councillors had a meeting with Williams to find out why she withdrew the payment of the weekly allowance, and she reportedly told them that the council could no longer pay the weekly allowance due to the ban of Okada riders in some parts of the council.

She explained that the council could no longer collect levies from okada riders, which was their major source of revenue, as they have been banned from operating in major parts of the area.

But the councillors insisted that it should not be so because there are other sources of revenue accruing to the council.

To prove to her that the council was still viable, the councillors allegedly embarked on oversight functions, taking over a motor park in the area from the committee headed by one Tope.

It was after the takeover that a group  allegedly loyal to Williams stormed the motor park, beat up and chased out the councillors.

The fight became  messier yesterday  when  both parties fought publicly over the  control of the motor park.  Some councillors sustained injuries and were rushed to a hospital for treatment.

This has crippled activities at the council secretariat as most workers locked up their offices and left the premises.

It took the intervention of the police at Ikotun division to maintain peace at the motor park.