To douse the tension capable of causing breach of public peace by some aggrieved members of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria, RTEAN across the country, the Presidency has been urged to intervene in the crisis currently rocking the transport sector. The tension, according to a president of RTEAN, Alhaji Chief Abubakar Sadiq was caused by the recent visit of “a rebel leader” of the association to President Goodluck Jonathan at the State House in Abuja. Sadiq, who addressed a world press conference yesterday in Abuja, said the audience granted the Musa Shehu Isiwele led faction of RTEAN by President Jonathan on January 3, “has further provoked members and deepening the intra-union crisis in the association well known to relevant ministers and agencies”. He added that the visit by Isiwele, who he stated is presently standing trial over the crisis in the association, could cause break-down of public peace and security threats in all motor parks across the country. According to him, all efforts by the government including National Assembly as well as the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW to find amicable resolution to the intra-union crisis in the past were allegedly rebuffed by the Isiwele faction. Sadiq, who maintained that he remains the authentic national president of RTEAN, informed that the original certificate of the association with registration number 0055 is in his possession, stressing that “it is the instrument of legitimacy of leadership and administration of our association under me”. “It is interesting to let this August gathering know that the original certificate of our association is not missing as claimed fallaciously and has never been in the custody of Femi Ajewole”, he added. He apologized to Jonathan for allegedly being misinformed by “some government officials benefitting from the protracted crisis in our association to cause confusion and misinformation among members of the general public”. The union leader also called on security agencies to hold Isiwele responsible or any break down of law and order in any motor park in the country as a result of his impersonation as national president of RTEAN. Sadiq, however, expressed the readiness of RTEAN under his leadership to dialogue and reconciliation with the factional union, urging the Presidency to intervene in the interest of peace, social justice and industrial harmony in the road transport sector and national interest in particular. He commended President Jonathan for the achievement of his administration in road infrastructure, policy transformation and inter-modal transportation system to fast-track the socio-economic growth of the country. The RTEAN president also urged Jonathan to fulfill his promise withheld pending the final resolution of crisis in the association.
By Olugbenga Salami
