OLORUNDARE ENIMOLA, Lagos
Following a viral video involving members of Tricycle Owners and Riders Association of Nigeria TOOAN, Ajah Branch, who are seen being resisted by a Tricycle operator from placing a Tinubu Campaign sticker on his Tricycle, the executive members of the association in Ajah has said the video was a misrepresentation of what truly happened, leaving some members of the public with a disturbing misconception.
DAILY INDEPENDENT correspondent On Thursday, went on a fact finding mission to the Tricycle park where the incident happened and gathered that the Tricycle rider referred to as Blessing seen in the video resisting his colleagues was being challenged for tearing the campaign sticker from his Tricycle after they collectively received the stickers from an independent Tinubu campaign group and each placing it on their Tricycles some days before.
According to Comrade, Kazeem Olokodana, Chairman, Ajah Branch 'B', “Blessing was been reminded that we had all agreed to the placement of the stickers on our Tricycles as our own modest support for the candidature of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, whose party and successive administrations in Lagos has made commuting and the transportation business easy for us in the State, so it is only natural and morally justifiable for us to express our support in the best way can.
“We told him it is not right to have gone behind to remove the sticker knowing that the campaign group members could come around anytime to see if we are truly committed to the promise we gave to them. Moreso, we told him his actions could discourage others who may also remove the sticker from their keke too. To forestall such from happening and to save our branch from the collective embarrassment, we decided that he must get the sticker back, which he resisted leading to the commotion captured on the viral video,” Kazeem said.
Comrade Olarewaju Olukotun, Branch Chairman, Ajah Branch C1, reitrated that that the stickers were given to each and everyone for free and expected to be placed on their Keke as a sign of solidarity and support for the APC led government of Lagos State and especially to Asiwaju Tinubu, who is aspiring to become president, the first of such to come from Lagos State.
Umaru Sani from Kano State, a Tricycle operator in Ajah who also have the sticker on his Tricycle, he witnessed the fracas between Blessing and his colleagues stating that Blessing was being questioned by other riders for destroying the sticker placed on his Tricycle the previous day, but he answered them roughly, which made them angry to say, he must pay N500 for defacing the first sticker and for the second sticker that will be given him. The money according to Sani was to serve as a deterrent to others who may want to flaunt what has been collectively agreed to.
A Unit Chairman from another Unit who also spoke with us gave his name as Ganiu Obamo, said, “A Tinubu support group came to us, soliciting our support for Asiwaju Tinubu, requiring that we place a support sticker of Tinubu on our keke and we obliged. We agreed because that is not the first time we are supporting associations and organisations, (pointing to stickers of Churches/Schools,NGOs on several Tricycles in the park), whenever they come to us and we see what they are doing is good, we help them display them on our kekes.
Several of the riders spoken to by DAILY INDEPENDENT, confirmed that none of them were asked to pay a dime to get the stickers on their Tricycles, and that none was enforced to get the sticker on, rather they did it on their own volition, while some of them did not accept the stickers based on their affiliation.
Chinedu Peter, another rider from Ebonyi State said, “They asked me to take the sticker and place on my Keke, but I said no, because I live in a place that has many Igbos, and I’m not sure of how they may perceive it, making me to play safe, even though I truly like Tinubu for all he has done for the State, yet I did not take the sticker and no one fought me over that.”
In a telephone chat with Comrade Prince Aderibigbe Adelagun Akinsemoyin, (Adex Ajah), Zonal Secretary, TOOAN, Zone D, he said, “Our association is not an independent one, but affiliated with the Lagos State Parks and Garages Management Committee, headed by Alhaji Musiliu Akinsanya, MC Oluomo, it is therefore impossible for any of the branches or Zones of TOOAN to come up with such ideas without the express approval of the State Committee.
"Alhaji Akinsanya, the committee chairman has described the video and the distribution of the stickers as the handiwork of detractors and enemies of the committee who desperately want to destroy the smooth and peaceful running of the Transport union in Lagos. He asked that the unruly rider should however be handed over to the Police to write a statement reflecting his own side of the story." Adex said.
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