Abeokuta: By Sina ODUNTAN
Published, March 22, 2023
Comrade Akibu Titilayo (Efele), Chairman, RTEAN
ROAD TRANSPORT EMPLOYERS’ ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (RTEAN) has stoically denied the allegation leveled against its State Chairman, Comrade Akibu Titilayo by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) recently.
According to a press statement entitled ‘2023 Ogun Governorship Election: RTEAN Denies Arrest of Efele – A Rebuttal of PDP’s Baseless Allegations’ released and signed by Comrade Tiwalade Akingbade, State Secretary/Assistant National Secretary and made available to this newspaper in Abeokuta, Mr. Titilayo, a.k.a. Efele was not arrested by any security agency as he was in his Ososa country home throughout the Saturday, March 18 governorship and House of Assembly elections.
The State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Sikirulai Ogundele had earlier made the allegation that Efele “was arrested by the police and released within an hour, perhaps in Sagamu along with “the Publicity Secretary of the government controlled transport union, Efele and Danny” and the Chairman of Sagamu Local Government, Afolabi Odulate who was alleged to be arrested with “AK-47 automatic rifle and other condiments (sic)”.
Describing the statement “as the lowest possible nadir of the junkiest form of a political reaction and bad loser syndrome”, the RTEAN Secretary said firmly that the allegations of arrest by the police, perpetration of violence and disruption of voting process, and carrying weapons on the day of governorship and House of Assembly elections by the RTEAN State Chairman, Comrade Akibu Titilayo, alias Efele, were “totally false and mischievous, baseless, incredible and without concrete evidence. It is in the imagination of the warped mind of the author of the statement as is far from the truth.”
Akingbade further denied that RTEAN was government controlled, saying RTEAN was an independent and voluntary transport union that was free from government control and was registered by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity, affiliating to the Trade Union Congress, adding that one “Danny” mentioned in the PDP statement was neither known nor a member of the Association.
He said the Association organized two sensitisation meetings before the presidential and national assembly elections and governorship and house of assembly elections to sensitise, educate, and warned her members to avoid politicians who might wanted to use them for thuggery during the elections.
Excerpt:
2023 Ogun Governorship Election: A Rebuttal of PDP’S Baseless Allegations
Our attention has been drawn to the press statement issued by the State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Hon. Sikirulai Ogundele, yesterday, March 19, 2023 at the Cinema Hall of Park Inn Hotel under the title ‘PDP on the Governorship and State House of Assembly Elections in Ogun State. The statement will probably pass as the lowest possible nadir of the junkiest form of a political reaction and bad loser syndrome.
Without sources, evidence and argument to achieve verified and credible allegations and without the slightest pretension to objectivity the statement began and ended with making the wildest and sweeping allegation of violence and arrest against our peace-loving, amiable leader, Comrade Akibu Titilayo (a.k.a. Efele).
According to the statement, our State Chairman, Comrade Titilayo (Efele) was arrested by the police and released within an hour, perhaps in Sagamu along with “the Publicity Secretary of the government controlled transport union, Efele and Danny” and the Chairman of Sagamu Local Government, Afolabi Odulate who was alleged to be arrested with “AK-47 automatic rifle and other condiments”.
We state categorically that the allegations of arrest by the police, perpetration of violence and disruption of voting process, and carrying weapons on the day of governorship and House of Assembly elections by our State Chairman, Comrade Akibu Titilayo, alias Efele, were totally false and mischievous, baseless, incredible and without concrete evidence. It is in the imagination of the warped mind of the author of the statement as is far from the truth.
There was not a shred, not even an atom of truth in it. It was a mere blackmail and attempts to swindle and hoodwink the general public to believing that their defeat at the polls by Prince Dr Dapo Abiodun, governor-elect and the All Progressives Congress was caused by political thuggery and violence .
Our State Chairman, Akibu Tittilayo (Efele) did not leave his Ososa home on Saturday March 18 after he had exercise his civic responsibility by voting for the party and candidates of his choices on that day. The allegation that he was arrested by the police and released with an hour was false, unsubstantiated and an allegation from the pit of hell.
It was widely reported that the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), Ogun State Branch ably led by our amiable State Chairman, Comrade Titilayo (Efele) organised a sensitization meeting with all the leaders and members of the RTEAN in Ogun State five days before the Presidential and National Assembly Elections where the attendees were educated and enlightened on the importance of the elections and the need to avoid being used by the politicians as agents of violence and thuggery during the elections. And five days before the Governorship and State House of Assembly elections the sensitization was repeated. The two sensitization meetings were tomitigating needless violence during the general elections.
RTEAN has disdain for violence and thuggery in whatever forms.
We also state categorically that RTEAN is not a “government controlled union”. We are independent, voluntary, free from government control and is registered by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity. Our Association is affiliated to the Trade Union Congress. It is an association of transport business people who employ drivers.
We want to add that one “Danny” mentioned in the PDP statement is not known to us and not a member of our great Association. “Danny” is not the “Publicity Secretary” of our Association.
If a Chairman of a local government council was arrested with AK-47 or any other one for that matter, it is not epidemiologically correct to link our State Chairman to such a detested acts of violence, disruption of voting process and ballot box snatching.
We believe that PDP was engaging on this smear and wild voyage because of the disappointment they received from the hands of the good people of Ogun State who made a bold statement by rejecting the party and its governorship candidate at the pollin units. They resorted to blackmail, name-calling, character assassination, threat and intimidation because there is lack of substantial facts or evidence in their baseless and unfathomed allegations and false accusations against our own Efele.
Accordingly, we issue this rebuttal against the trivial accusations and allegations to demonstrate that their failure is due to their lack of competent leadership and clear direction.
There is no substance in the PDP claims. It is mere instruments of political justifications, baseless rhetoric and propaganda for their rejection at the polls in the March 18 governorship and house of assembly elections. It is bereft of substantial evidence and mere false accusation.
Signed: Comrade Tiwalade Akingbade
State Secretary/Asst. National Secretary
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