The embattled factional Chairman, National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Oyo state, Lateef Akinsola (a.k.a.Tokyo), has debunked the claims that he has been expelled from the union.
It would be recalled that Alhaji Taofeek Oyerinde (a.k.a. Fele), Chairman of NURTW, Oyo State Council had said that Akinsola has been expelled from the union by the national body.
Akinsola who debunked this allegation on Thursday in Ibadan in an interview with the newsmen, said that he was still a bona fide member of the union.
“If they said I have been expelled, let them produce my expulsion letter.
There is procedure to be followed before somebody can be expelled.
“Such person must be first of all be served with warning letter, suspension letter and subsequently expulsion letter, which they never served me,” Akinsola said.
Akinsola also said that he remained the authentic Chairman of the union based on the various judgments of the court delivered in his favour.
He said that there were valid and standard court judgments delivered in his favour from the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal in Ibadan respectively confirming him as the chairman of NURTW in Oyo State.
The two court judgments were given on Nov. 26, 2012 and January 28, 2014 respectively.
He called on Gov. Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State to reinstate him as the Chairman of the union, saying Ajimobi was in-charge of Oyo state and was the only one who could direct effective compliance of the court judgments.
“I am appealing to Ajimobi to allow the rule of law to prevail by reinstating me as directed by the courts.
“I have written a letter dated May 4, 2015 and a reminder dated June 8, 2015 to the governor of Oyo State stating all issues concerning the NURTW in the state and the position of the court.
“Copies of the court judgments from both the Federal and Appeal Court were also sent to the governor and up till now I am yet to receive any reply.
“I have been trying to see the governor personally but I have not been allowed to see him.
“I am a law abiding citizen, a man of peace, who believes in the rule of law, hence my seeking redress in the court of law as well as prevailed on my supporters to be calm pending my reinstatement,” he said.
Akinsola stressed that there was a legal advice dated Aug. 5, 2014 from the Inspector General of Police through the legal department to the Oyo State Commissioner of Police to provide adequate protection for the execution of the court judgment.
“I did not want violent and I did not have power to reinstate myself which is why I am calling on Ajimobi to let my judgment prevail. I promise to cooperate with his government, make peace and harmony with every member of the union.
“The court judgment has not been set aside by any appellate court and must be enforced no matter the period,” Akinsola said.
He said that Alhaji Taofeek Oyerinde (a.k.a. Fele) currently occupying the Chairmanship position of NURTW in Oyo State was there illegally because there was no election conducted for his second term as all his court judgments were still valid.
Akinsola said that his vehicles and those of members of the union loyal to him had been banned from loading at all the motor parks in the state.
He said that at a mediation meeting between his faction and that of Oyerinde, the President of NURTW, Alhaji Najeem Yasin, directed that his vehicles and those of his loyalist should be allowed to load at the parks.
“Yasin stated that all issued relating to restoration has been settled amicably and disputed members had been recalled to the union and demand the support of the governor.
If my judgment prevailed, my vehicles and those of the members loyal to me would have been loading.
“I have no other work than this transport business, I am just staying at home without doing any job,” he said.
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