The Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), Ogun State Chapter has cautioned the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to stop transferring aggression of defeat suffered by its Governorship Candidate, Ladi Adebutu at the just concluded Governorship election to the association.
Penpushing reports that the association gave the caution note in reaction to Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) statement credited to its Chairman, Sikirulai Ogundele that the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) was involved in rigging of the elections alongside Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security operatives.
The Secretary of the association who doubles as the Assistant National Scribe, Comrade Tiwalade Akingbade in the statement exonerated the body from the allegation, adding that the statement credited to Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is form of a political reaction and bad loser syndrome.
‘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’, Akingbade said.
‘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”’, Akingbade noted.
Penpushing further reports that the association declared that the allegation of arrest of the Chairman of the body for violence as claimed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were totally false, mischievous and the imagination of the warped mind of the author of the statement.
‘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’, the statement stated.
‘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 within an hour was false, unsubstantiated and an allegation from the pit of hell’, Akingbade wrotel.
‘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 two days before the Governorship and State House of Assembly elections the sensitization was repeated. The two sensitization meetings were to mitigate 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’, the statement emphasised.
‘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’, Akingbade added.
‘If a political chieftain was arrested 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 of the outcome of the election. 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 the leadership of our great association would not be involved in acts inimical to achieving peaceful, credible, fair and open elections’.
‘There is no substance in the PDP claims. It is mere instruments of political justifications, baseless rhetoric and propaganda to justify their claims of rigged elections. It is bereft of substantial evidence and mere false accusation’, Akingbade stressed
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