MC Oluomo Knocked For Charging Lagos Commercial Drivers To Channeling Their Grievances To Appropriate Quarters

In a press statement signed by legal adviser to Lagos drivers and observed by Eaglesforesight, Alhaji Musiliu Akinsanya popularly known as MC Oluomo, has been hitted back for charging the aggrieved commercial bus drivers to channel their grievances to appropriate quarters

“We are now seized of a Press statement credited to the Chairman of Lagos State Parks and Garages Management, Alhaji Musiliu Akinsanya (Aka MC Oluomo) wherein he called ” on the aggrieved commercial bus drivers to channel their grievances to the appropriate quarters”.

We are nonplussed that Secretary of the Parks and Garages Management (Operations), Comrade Olayiwola Lemboye, who spoke on his behalf, said “the agency has a conflict resolution mechanism to address the grievances of bus drivers” while at the time he was credited to have stated that”as we speak, we have not received any communication from anyone on the issue of extortion or harassment.”

This is nothing but double-speak. The truth is that MC OLUOMO is a Respondent in the Suit , OLUKOYA OGUNGBEJE v LAGOS STATE GOVERNMENT wherein Honourable Justice P.O Lifu made an Order restraining himself in his capacity as the Chairman of the Lagos State Parks and Garages Management Committee as well as the purported Committee of the Lagos State Government itself as well as other apparati of the extortion of these bus drivers from further collecting illegal levies and dues from the drivers.

Does MC OLUOMO want to stretch the argument further that he is unaware of the Court Order?

The attempt to be the beater of a child and the consoler must be rejected in all ramifications.It is indeed the LAGOS STATE PARKS AND GARAGES’ MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE as led by MC OLUOMO that is responsible for the daily extortion of these drivers. They have been integrated into AN ARM OF LAGOS STATE GOVERNMENT to expropriate drivers.

How can they now also be the “conflict resolution mechanism” to resolve this crisis?

This is highly insulting and demeaning.
We challenge the Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-olu and his Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Moyosore Onigbanjo SAN to bring out the Law passed by the State House of Assembly empowering this Gubernatorial Committee of Parks and Garages Management Committee to collect levies and dues in behalf of the Lagos State Government. They should also produce to the whole world the details of the monies collected and exactly what it has been used for.

The bus drivers have the right to freedom of association, which is a fundamental right under Chapter 4 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999 as amended), which they have exercised by forming the Joint Drivers’ Welfare Association of Nigeria (JDWAN). They also have the right to moveable and immoveable property , which is equally a fundamental right, which they have exercised by refusing to bring out their vehicles on the roads.

They have not stopped any other commercial driver from doing so. What is exactly the headache of MC OLUOMO and his minions?

What we are alarmed about is that we view this ALARM as a TERROR ALERT in LAGOS and call on the INSPECTOR GENERAL OF POLICE to hold MC OLUOMO and his minions responsible for any spill of blood of these striking bus drivers , who have employed peaceful means of a sit at home strike as a means of pushing their demands.

Already, the private residences of the key leaders of these strike have been attacked while the sheds of the striking bus drivers have been destroyed. Of note is the case of Ashimiyu Idowu, a leader of the bus drivers that was abducted by these minions, popularly called ” agberos” , beaten black and blue and left for dead.

We call on the commuting public to join us in this rolling struggle as it is they that really pays in the final analysis the 8.4 billion naira levies grossed by the apparati of extortion and exploitation in Lagos State , based on the Report of the International Centre for Investigative Reporting.

THE PEOPLE UNITED CAN NEVER BE DEFEATED!

AYO ADEMILUYI ESQ.,
Legal Adviser to Joint Drivers’Welfare Association of Nigeria (JDWAN)
08148252959,
09097933015