. Urges Makinde to Consider Students in His Decisions.
Kehinde Ayanboade
The Out-going National Senate Arm of the Federation of Oyo State Students Union, (FOSSU) has called on the governor of Oyo State, Engr. Seyi Makinde, to think deep before making the choice of chairmanship position of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in the state, saying that the governor should consider security of Oyo State students in any decision he want to make about the union chairmanship position.
The out-going FOSSU National Senate President, comrade Oke Wasiu, politically known as ‘pattern’, disclosed this on Wednesday in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital during a press conference which was held at Federal College of Agriculture, Apata, Ibadan.
In his word, comrade Oke noted that activities of the NURTW members from the past until recent time is no longer news that every change in the union administration is usually met with a serious leadership tussle within the union, adding that there is a need for governor Seyi Makinde to think deep in supporting the chairmanship position of the union in the state to avoid breakdown of law and order.
It could be recalled that the National President of the Nigerian Medical Student Association, Mr. Auwal Shanono, was one of the unlucky victims that were killed during the June 4, 2011 violence by members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers in Ibadan, the deceased until his death was a 500-level Medical Student of the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.
According to comrade Oke, ‘some of the tussle have heightened to crises that have claimed many innocent lives, the negative effects of the June 4, 2011 leadership battle cum factional clashes by a forceful take over attempt by some elements purportedly led by Alhaji Mukaila Lamidi a.k.a Auxiliary and Alhaji Lateef Akinsola a.k.a Tokyo remain indelible in the mind of those who lost relatives or friends to the unfortunate incident, including innocent and promising Nigerian students.
“This unfortunate incident would have repeated itself few months ago at various parks in the state if not for the immeasurable discretion of governor Makinde to curtail the rising tension.”
Oke noted there is no way students can do without transportation system, adding that if an area is malfunctioning in the state, it will definitely affects students in the state.
“It is our right to advice the government either direct or indirectly, governor Seyi Makinde should think twice and be careful in picking anybody as the NURTW chairman, because if the person is not good, it will affect the entire students in the state.
“Nobody sponsored us, our own is just to advice the government on issues relating to student welfarism in the state, what happened in 2011 crises which was led by ‘Auxiliary’. should not happens again.
He pointed out that since the inception of the administration of Alhaji Lateef Akinsola otherwise known as Tokyo in1993, violence has become enormously pronounced in the activities of the NURTW in the state, the union has been characterized by thuggery, maiming, killing, and other antisocial behavior, especially when it comes to leadership change, the members of the union had continued to shed innocent blood as if liberation is being offered in to the gods, and this poses a serious threat to the state as lives and property not only become insecure, but investors are also scared away.
“In as much as political neutrality of the students union cannot be ruled out, it won’t equally make it be a party to leadership that poses a serious threat to the security of lives and property in the state, any individual, irrespective of their status or affiliation, with criminal records, is not suitable to assumed a leadership position in any state governed by the dictates of the law, any person that will be the chairman should be a person of clear record, because making a wrong appointment from one of the warring camps may further heat the calm polity.”
“We advise the governor to think twice before choosing the union leadership because of security threat the state has witnessed in the past, we commend the first few weeks of the governor assumption of office, it is obvious that the people of Oyo State did not make the wrong choice of his leadership.”
“It is highly commendable as you doused the tension and insecurity that has heightened as a result of the recent leadership crisis of the union.”
He however said that the union believe in governor Seyi Makinde, in making decision that would be in the best interest of Oyo State students rather than those of a few in the state.
