Some leaders of the Lagos state chapter of Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria have broken ranks with their chairman of more than nine years, describing attempts to extend his stay in office as a direct invitation to a breakdown of law and order.
They added that the state government must step in within seven days to resolve the crisis or risk what follows. The union members are seen and strategically positioned at various parks and on Lagos roads coordinating activities of commercial vehicles.
A separate entity from the National Union of Road Transport workers, the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria, Lagos chapter, holds sway on operations pertaining to the transport sector.
But the unity of the association that has about ten thousand members and 170 chapels is now being tested, thanks to a leadership tussle that came to a head in October last year.
This meeting is being held to issue a frost advisory to the state government and law enforcement agencies to stop one Mr Musa Mohammed from parading himself as the association’s national president and state chairman.
They are asking the government to enforce the court order issued on November 13th, 2019 restraining the man in question from engaging in union activities.
Accused of contravening the constitution of the association which stipulates a 5-year tenure for officials, Mr Musa Mohammed is said to have paraded himself as the chairman of the Lagos branch for about 7 years.
According to the members, he has not allowed the accounts of the association to be audited as stipulated by their laws.
They are challenging the embattled chairman to hold elections as soon as possible. They also want the govt to suspend the activities of the association pending the court’s ruling on the substantive matter.
