Hamzat made this known on Tuesday morning during a live appearance on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily programme, while fielding questions surrounding violence and alleged rigging during the governorship and state House of Assembly elections.

Although, the deputy governor said he was not calling for the arrest of anybody, he said the facts should be examined and “if in truth he (MC Oluomo) has broken the law, he must pay for it.”

The deputy governor was reacting to a video that made the rounds on social media during the governorship elections in the state, where MC Oluomo, who is also the Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Works for Lagos State Council, was said to be threatening people of Igbo extraction residing in the state.

Hamzat said, “Well, I am not calling for the arrest of anybody, I am not a police officer, I am not a prosecutor, but people will look at the evidence.

And in the case of MC Oluomo he has actually come out to say that he was referring to a woman, who also come out to say that she has known MC Oluomo for years and that he was referring to her, so I don’t know the facts. But people should examine the facts and if in truth he has broken the law, he must pay for it.

“But my point which I want to make is that we all diminish this country when we actually exaggerate what happens. We have an election where you have this number of polling units and you have less than 1 per cent that have a problem and we now make it look like that 1 per cent is more important than the 99 per cent.

“I think that it is just outrageous and we should not diminish our country by saying the election is bad. No, this was a great election. Atrocities were committed an people should pay for that.”

Hamzat said the state government has been accommodating of all tribes and religions in the state, adding that Lagos is the only state that has other tribes in its State Assembly.

Hamzat, however, added, “There will be people that will always try to break the rules and we must punish them. When you punish them they serve as deterrent to others so they know that is not the way to go.”

Owohunwa said this in an interview with Arise TV ahead of the governorship and state assembly elections slated for Saturday in the state.

MC Oluomo, in a viral video, had allegedly threatened that those who would not vote for the ruling party, the APC, should stay at home.

In the video, MC Oluomo said, “Please tell them, we have begged them. If they don’t vote for us, it is not a fight. Tell them that Chukwudi’s mother, if you don’t vote for us, sit down at home. Do you understand? Sit down at home.”

However, the Lagos CP said, “We condemn in the strongest possible terms any act, statement, or an action that could be interpreted as hate speech or that could be interpreted as deepening political tension regardless of the brain that might be behind it. With regards to this specific video you mentioned, it is currently a subject of a detailed investigation.”

“Of course, we are deploying our cyber security access to solve that. And, I can assure you that nobody is above the law. This country is regulated. Anybody that tries to use his position, or his influence on others to deepen hate, or engender political tension which could, of course, snowball into violence, it remains the responsibility and the mandate of the Nigeria Police to investigate such cases.

“This specific one you mentioned will not be in isolation. It is already a subject of review. And it will be in the interest of the actors behind it and all others that might wish to also engage in such ill-informed, indirect action to be very careful, to be firmly warned because in the fullness of time, the full law will take its course and it will be not different in this instance if established.”

This is as he also called on the aggrieved commercial bus drivers to channel their grievances to the appropriate quarters.

The Joint Drivers Welfare Association of Nigeria said its strike action continues till November 6, 2022.

The drivers in Lagos State embarked on a boycott on Monday, October 31, 2022, over extortions on the roads allegedly by the motor parks and garages management in the state.

In a statement, Monday evening, signed by its National Leader, Akintade Abiodun, JDWAN commended its members and Lagosians for their support while condemning the alleged attack a member, Ashimiyu Idowu, who was later reportedly released.

But reacting to the reports, Oluomo, through the Secretary of the Parks and Garages Management (Operations), Olayiwola Lemboye, said the agency had a conflict resolution mechanism to address the grievances of bus drivers.

He said that the state secretariat of the agency is always open to address issues among its members

As we speak, we have not received any communication from anyone on the issue of extortion or harassment. They ought to have reported the matter to their branch chairmen or bring it to the state secretariat if the branch chairmen are not forthcoming,” he stated in a statement.

He cautioned the group against politicising the operations of commercial transportation in the state.

“The purported strike action has a political undertone. If not, how come they are coming under a name unknown to the law? The government recognises two bodies – the suspended National Union of Road Transport Union in Lagos State and the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria. The Joint Drivers’ Welfare Association of Nigeria is not known.

“Despite that, the state government’s Liaison Officer to the Parks and Garages Management, Mr Hakeem Odumosu, a retired Assistant Inspector General of Police, has also waded into the matter and held a meeting with them. Instead of adhering to the agreement reached, they resulted in blackmailing the respected retired police officer,” he said.

Comrade Lemboye denied the allegation of attack on members of the aggrieved body.

“The Chairman of Lagos State Parks and Garages Management Alhaji Musiliu Akinsanya is a peaceful person and will never subscribe to such illegalities. More so, our operations are limited in the Berger area of Badagry where they alleged that some of their people were attacked,” he said.

While enjoining members of the public to go about their lawful duties, he said Akinsanya has been liaising with branch chairmen on how to handle the grievances of the aggrieved transporters in a peaceful manner.

Justice Peter Lifu gave the order in respect to an ex parte application filed by a lawyer, Mr Olukoya Ogungbeje.

The lawyer filed the application on behalf of himself and a new transport union, Transport Union Society of Nigeria.

Other respondents in the suit are the Registered Trustees of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, Registered Trustees of Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria, Registered Trustees of the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners, Alhaji Lawal Othman, Lagos State Government, Attorney-General of Lagos State, Inspector-General of Police and the Director of State Security Service.

In the application supported by a 34-paragraph affidavit, Ogungbeje prayed the court to restrain the respondents from “forceful imposition, collection, extortion of any transport union levies, dues, fees, or monies from any person, commercial vehicle driver and/or transporter that is not a member of the respondents pending the hearing and determination of the substantive originating motion filed before the court.”

The counsel also prayed the court to restrain the respondents from “arresting, detaining, harassing, embarrassing, humiliating, inviting, seizing, and confiscating any commercial vehicle, disturbing and/or interfering with the lawful transport business operations of the applicant and its transport union members in connection with the facts of the case pending the determination of the substantive originating motion.”

Earlier, Justice Lifu had ordered the respondents in the suit to present their reasons within seven days why the reliefs sought by the applicants should not be granted.

At the resumed hearing, Ogungbeje informed the court that the processes were served on the respondents and added that they failed to respond.

On that ground, Justice Lifu granted the reliefs of the applicants.

He adjourned the case till June 6 to determine the applicants’ motion to add other parties to the suit

Also, a former Assistant Inspector General of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, was appointed as the Liaison Officer between the government and the committee.

This was contained in a press statement by the Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, titled, “Lagos govt sets up Parks Management Committee”.

An ex-Permanent Secretary, Dr. Taiwo Salaam, was also appointed as the secretary of the committee while Sulyman Ojora was appointed as the Deputy Chairman.

The appointments were announced less than four weeks after the Lagos State Governmrnt denied plans to appoint MC Oluomo chairman of the parts committee.

The PUNCH reports that the Lagos State government suspended the activities of NURTW in all parks and garages across the state after MC Oluomo was suspended by NURTW national body.

The statement read, “The Lagos State Government has set up a committee to oversee the affairs of all motor parks and garages in the state. This is in fulfillment of the Government’s promise to ensure that events in the National Union of Road Transport Workers are not allowed to threaten law and order.

The Government has, therefore, exercised its constitutional powers to ensure that no vacuum, which can disrupt the peace of our dear state,is allowed to exist in the parks. This is a duty we owe all Lagosians and visitors.

“Members of the committee, who have been selected following consultations with stakeholders in the sector, are:

1. Mr. Hakeem Odumosu (AIG Rtd) – Government Liaison Officer
2. Alh Musiliu Ayinde Akinsanya – Chairman
3. Alh Sulyman B. Ojora – (Deputy Chairman )
4. Dr. Taiwo Olufemi Salaam (Secretary)
5. Comrade Olayiwola Lemboye
6. Alh Mustapha Adekunle
7. Alh Ganiyu Shittu
8. Alh Mukaila Runsewe
9. Alh Sulyman Yusuf
10. Alh Mufutau Mutiu
11. Alh Yinka Hassan
12. Alh Sunday Ogunleye
13. Alh Moshood Omojowa
14. Alh Ismaila Aigoro
15. Alh Ibrahim Yusuf. O
16. Alh Akeem Tijani
17. Mrs Omolabake Adelakun
18. Comrade Kazeem Hassan
19. Alh Wasiu Amole
20. Alh Ganiyu Ayinde
21. Anthony Adeyinka Adeboye
22. John Victor Owolabi
23. Saburi Salami
24. Ibrahim Onitiju
25. Odusanya Gbenga

“Members of the committee are to report to the Ministry of Transportation, Alausa Secretariat, Ikeja.

“The Government on March 10 suspended NURTW operations in all parks and garages, following the tension sparked by some events in the union.”

Akinsanya’s Media Aide, Jimoh Buhari, made this known in a chat with The PUNCH on Wednesday while reacting to the purported sacking of his principal.

According to him, members of the Tajudeen Baruwa-led NURTW caucus in Abuja are comedians who claimed to sack Akinsanya who already pulled out of the union on March 10, 2022.

He said, “The so-called sacking of my boss makes no difference. NURTW has already been suspended in Lagos and the state government has said that it would appoint park managers in the state.

So, the appointment of a new Lagos chairman by NURTW is baseless. The union has already been suspended. Is the union more powerful than the state government? Of course, no.

“Also, my boss (MC Oluomo) already pulled out of the NURTW since March 10, 2022, at a well-publicised press briefing in Agege. So, how would the Baruwa-led Abuja caucus claim it has sacked someone who already dissociated himself from the union? It is like sacking a worker who resigned and left a company after one month. It is laughable and senseless.”

Following the crisis rocking the union, Akinsanya pulled out in March after his suspension by the national leadership of the NURTW.

He also asked Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to take over the running of all parks and garages in the state till peace returned to the union.

Sanwo-Olu later suspended the activities of NURTW from all parks and garages with immediate effect and set up a committee to take control of the parks and garages but he was yet to do so after one month.

The NURTW had also been suspended in Ondo, Oyo and some other South-West states due to intractable leadership crises.

According to a 2021 report by the International Centre for Investigative Report, the Lagos chapter of NURTW generates about N123.08bn annually, which could service the annual budget of Nasarawa, Niger, and Yobe states put together.

The National Public Relations Officer of the union, Chukwudi Asogwa, confirmed the suspension on Thursday.

“Yes, it is true. The letter you saw in circulation is from the national headquarters,” he said.

The suspension letter was signed by NURTW’s General Secretary, Kabiru Yau, and dated March 9th, 2022.

In the letter, the union leader was suspended over alleged misconduct, insubordination, and inciting members of the state chapter against its national body.

With the development, the NURTW directed Akinsanya to hand over to his deputy chairman and release all property belonging to the union in his possession.

The letter read, “This is to convey to you that in line with Article 42 section 5, subsection I, II, III, IV, V, and VIII of the union’s constitution, you have been placed on indefinite suspension from office as State Chairman of Lagos State Council of National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) with effect from March 9th, 2021.Your suspension is sequel to sustained acts of insubordination and gross misconduct coupled with your clandestine plans to instigate crisis and unleash mayhem on any branch or branches of the union in Lagos state that refuses to obey your order or instructions not to accept directives from the national headquarters of the Union. Your orchestrated plan to attack branches that may disobey your orders aforesaid will ultimately endanger public peace and order in Lagos state. It is also very likely to threaten and/or affect the lives and property of the peace-loving people of Lagos state, particularly those doing their legitimate businesses within motor parks, hence the urgent need to take drastic actions against him.It is on record that you were earlier issued with queries on 25th of February 2022 and 3rd of March, 2022 respectively in which you were directed to explain the circumstances surrounding your untoward actions and to also show cause why disciplinary actions should not be taken against you for such acts of insubordination. You bluntly neglected/refuse to respond to the second query, while your response to the first query was unsatisfactory.In view of your suspension, you are hereby directed to hand over the mantle of leadership of the Lagos State Council to the State Deputy Chairman and also surrender all Union properties in your possession to the State Secretary of the Union forthwith.”

Buhari stated this while reacting to a viral letter by the NURTW national leadership in Abuja reportedly suspending MC Oluomo as Lagos chair.

The letter dated March 9, 2022 and signed by NURTW General Secretary, Kabiru Yau, said MC Oluomo has been suspended indefinitely for gross misconduct amongst other offences. Yau subsequently directed MC Oluomo to hand over to his deputy.

But Buhari said that his principal has not received any letter to the effect of the reported suspension.

He said, “As far as we are concerned, we are not aware of the suspension because we have not received any letter from the national leadership.A leader of an organisation cannot be suspended on social media.MC Oluomo is going into a meeting at the moment and he is going to chair the meeting. He remains Lagos NURTW chair.”

Among other allegations in the query dated February 14, 2022, Akinsanya was also accused of resorting to intimidation, harassment, and assault on the newly-appointed Chairman, Tricycle Owners and Operators Association of Nigeria, Azeez Abiola, aka Istijabah.

In his response, Akinsanya, who said he had successfully complied with his oath of office, refuted the claim that he instigated members of the union to assault Abiola

He, however, noted that the legality of the TOOAN operations in the state is a subject of a suit pending before the National Industrial Court.

Akinsanya also refuted claims of engaging in acts of insubordination and anti-union activities in the state.

MC Oluomo is accused of insubordination and misconduct bordering on inciting members of the union against the national body.

The decision was taken after a query was sent to MC Oluomo over alleged meddlesomenes in Union matters, as well as a protest staged by his supporters during which they accused the union at national level of unnecessarily interfering in the state affairs.

In a letter signed by the general secretary of the NURTW, Kabiru Yau, the NURTW boss was accused of incitement to violence and planning attacks on branches that refuse to obey his order of not accepting directives from the national headquarters of the union.

The national body of the union directed MC Oluomo to immediately hand over the mantle of leadership to his deputy chairman and release all property belonging to the transport body in his possession to State Secretary, in a bid to avoid any leadership vacuum in the state.

It’s reads: This is to convey to you that in line with Article 42 section 5, subsection I, II, III, IV, V, and VIII of the union’s constitution, you have been placed on indefinite suspension from office as State Chairman of Lagos State Council of National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) with effect from March 9th, 2021.Your suspension is sequel to sustained acts of insubordination and gross misconduct coupled with your clandestine plans to instigate crisis and unleash mayhem on any branch or branches of the union in Lagos state that refuses to obey your order or instructions not to accept directives from the national headquarters of the Union.Your orchestrated plan to attack branches that may disobey your orders aforesaid will ultimately endanger public peace and order in Lagos state. It is also very likely to threaten and/or affect the lives and property of the peace-loving people of Lagos state, particularly those doing their legitimate businesses within motor parks, hence the urgent need to take drastic actions against him.It is on record that you were earlier issued with queries on 25th of February 2022 and 3rd of March, 2022 respectively in which you were directed to explain the circumstances surrounding your untoward actions and to also show cause why disciplinary actions should not be taken against you for such acts of insubordination. You bluntly neglected/refuse to respond to the second query, while your response to the first query was unsatisfactory.In view of your suspension, you are hereby directed to hand over the mantle of leadership of the Lagos State Council to the State Deputy Chairman and also surrender all Union properties in your possession to the State Secretary of the Union forthwith.

There was tension in many parts of the NURTW unit in Lagos as hundreds of members of the union marched out in protesting a the Lagos State secretariat in Alausa, Lagos State.

The protest came as a result of the decision of the national headquaters of the union to dissolve the state council, and appointing popular Oshodi union member, Musiliu Akinsanya popularly known as MC Oluomo as the caretaker chairman.