13th September, 2010
The National Executive Council of the Road Transport Employers’ Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) has denounced a statement credited to Alhaji Megasu Akinpelu, the South West zonal chairman of the union giving recognition to a caretaker committee reconstituted by the National President, Elder Femi Ajewole, to replace the existing one legally constituted by NEC to administer the affairs of Lagos branch of the association.
National Secretary-General of the association, Alhaji Danlami Garba Navom, decribed the action of the zonal chairman as ”disobedience” and a negation of Article 69A (1) (IV & V) of the association’s constitution which states that the zones/states shall be answerable and responsible to the national body/executive committee and the affairs of the association shall be entrusted to the National Executive Council in respect of matters affecting the zones and states.
Alhaji Navom declared that the zones do not have the power to give directives to the states without consulting the NEC.
Navom stated further that ”the caretaker committee for the Lagos State branch is intact and duly recognized by the relevant government agencies and security organs in the state.”
”No amount of intimidation can deter it or constrain it to accepting illegality and falsehood as it remains focused in conducting elections to the new executive very soon.”
The Chairman of the caretaker committee, Alhaji Mohammed Musa, has advised teeming members of the association in Lagos State to go about their normal businesses and to promptly attend the weekly meetings without fear of molestation by the disgruntled members trying to cause disaffection.
He assured that the caretaker committee would not be distracted from carrying out its legitimate functions, adding that adequate security had been provided to ward off any threat to peace and public order.
“The era of godfatherism, selection and imposition of candidates is over. Plans are in top gear to conduct a credible, free and fair elections in Lagos State that will put in place the new executive for another five-year term,” he declared.