DAPO SALAMI IBADAN
The National Senate arm of the Federation of Oyo State Students Union, (FOSSU) has warned the governor of Oyo State, Engr Seyi Makinde to be diligent in selection of the state chairman of National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) to avoid repeat of the violent of the union which claimed life of the national association of medical students in Iwo-road, Ibadan in 2011.
Nigeria Express reports that the union also called on the governor to consider security of Oyo State students and other residents in any decision he is taking about the union chairmanship position.
The Out-going National Senate President of the Federation of Oyo State Students Union, (FOSSU), comrade Wasiu Oke a.k.a ‘pattern’, disclosed at a press conference in Ibadan, noting that activities of the NURTW
members from the past until recent time was deadly.
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.
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Oke said that there is a need for governor Seyi Makinde to think deep in appointing the chairman of the union in the state to avoid breakdown of law and order.
According to him “Some of the tussles in the past 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 purpotedly 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 their relatives, friends and medical students union to unfortunate incident that killed one of us, the National President of the Nigerian Medical Student Association, Mr. Auwal Shanono.
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.
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“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.
“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 dictactes of the law, noting
that 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 already 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 commedable as you doused the tension and insecurity that has heightened as a result of the recent leadership crisis of the
union.”
