A transport committee, put together by the executive governor of Ogun State, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has been enmeshed in stinking corruption allegations in recent times with high ranking members of the government dragged right into the middle of it.
The Ogun state chairman of the Tricycle Owners And Riders Association of Nigeria, TORAN, Prince Agunbiade Abdulwaasi, fondly called Yayi Agbara, has accused the former chairman of the embattled committee, Barr. Sunday Adeniyi and his team of being at the forefront of receiving illegal grants running into millions of naira. He alleged that he was made to pay ₦10million to become the association’s chairman.
It is worthy of note that the Transport Committee, put in place to oversee the activities of Ministry of Transportation pending appointment of substantive Commissioner for Transportation, was dissolved at infancy by the Ogun State House of Assembly on August 27, 2019.
Mrs Atinuke Bello (APC-Odogbolu) moved the motion for the dissolution and was seconded by Mr Sylvester Abiodun (PDP-Ijebu North 1).
Bello, who is the Chief Whip, had earlier intimated the assembly on the activities of the committee in her constituency, saying that members, particularly the former chairman, Adeniyi, had not done well.
“The committee was set up to make peace among all transport unions but instead of facing the issue on ground, it had added to the problems.
“The activities of the state caretaker committee on transportation are becoming a threat to peace in the state, especially among the transport unions,” she said.
In what looked like an open letter on a Facebook, Abdulwaasi also stated that Adeniyi was bent on ensuring that the peaceful co-existence in the Ogun State arm of TORAN was disorganised with his insatiable thirst for greed.
See the letter below in his words:
BARR. SUNDAY ADENIYI TRYING TO DISORGANIZE THE PEACEFUL EXISTENCE IN OGUN STATE TORAN.
It’s worrisome that while some leaders are thinking of making Ogun state peaceful and keying into the peaceful agenda of the government of the day, Barr. Sunday Adeniyi has taken his ways to another level. Just few weeks after been disgraced out of the illegal activities he has been into since February, 2020, his led committee was disbanded by the Tripartite Committee set up by the state house of Assembly which was further pronounced on the floor by the speaker of the house.
This said Barrister of law who is supposed to be an advocate of justice has now turned his inner temple to be an opposition of what his profession represent.
He has on various instance requested I give him money to be installed as the chairman of the association due to the power given to his committee back then. He requested for #20million and compelled me to pay same. He requested I make my payment on cash but was clever by half to have ignorantly collected some of the money through his business account. Details of proof are very intact. After giving him above 50% of his demand, he now said if I didn’t complete the amount, he’ll take the chairmanship position to where they don’t have tricycles to make show his power.
Who are you Barr. Sunday Adeniyi?
What are your contribution to the emergence of this government??
Of what stake do you have than me in this government???
Are you a member of TORAN????
Does the law ask you to select who lead our association?????All you think you can do is nothing but an empty threat.
TORAN is safe and it’s a non-governmental Association.Signed:
Prince Agunbiade Abdulwaasi (Yayi Agbara)
State Chairman TORAN.
Prince Abdulwaasi, however, later revealed that the post, which seemed to have been taken down as at the time of filing this report, was reported to Facebook.
Watchers wondered how a relationship believed to be smooth suddenly went sour. Recall that in his July 17, 2019 acceptance speech of the caretaker committee, the TORAN chairman passed a vote of confidence on the former transport union’s chairman. See the letter below.
I ACCEPT THE GOVERMENT’S DECISION ON STATE CARETAKER COMMITTEE OF TORAN AS A CALL OF PARTICIPATION OF AN ALL INCLUSIVE GOVERNMENT IN OGUN STATE.
It’s with great sincerity and pleasure I Agunbiade Abdukwaasi(Yayi Agbara) accept the call to serve at the state level as a member of the caretaker committee for TORAN with other of my colleagues. This is a rare opportunity in ones life to showcase ones experiences in human management beyond ones locality. The Transport Unions’ committee under the chairmanship of Barr. Adeniyi and secretaryship of Hon. Tunji Akinosi has really entrusted us with a mandate of representation that needs to be delivered judiciously and I promise by God to.
My sincere gratitude goes to Almighty Allah and this victory dedicated to my Late father Chief Nurudeen Agunbiade, whom I gathered the transport experiences from aside the academic and moral knowledge he gave to me. To my family, The Agunbiade family at large under the royal monarchy of HRM Oba (Barr) Luqman Jayeola Agunbiade, the Alagbara of Agbara, I say a countless thanks.
To all my political leaders, I say a big thanks. To my wonderful social media fans, this story can’t be complete without you all, especially the special ones among you who are members of Ifagbarajuwon University of Politics. I promise by God not to betray the trust you have in me and won’t conduct my self in a manner that will make you get disappointed in me.
To all other members that made up the committee,
1. Comr. Mathew Sopade
2. Comr. Kokawole Akobi
3. Comr. Gbenga Olatokunbo
4. Akeem Lateef
5. Kehinde Talubi
6. Alh. Aklat
7. Alh olasupo muideen Kunle(Omo kaaba)
8. Alh. Moruf Ajani (Ese Murphy)
success shall be our portion.e-signed
Prince Agunbiade Abdulwaasi
(Yayi Agbara)
Pundits believed that a quick intervention by the state governor will go a long way in diffusing escalation to avoid breakdown of law and order in the gateway state.
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