Members of the Motorcyclists/Tricycle Riders Association of Nigeria, Ekiti State chapter, on Thursday evening staged a violent protest in Ado Ekiti to oppose the imposition of N3,000 jacket by their leaders.
The protest affected free flow of vehicles along the state secretariat road and the popular Basiri-Ijigbo-Ajilosun dual carriage way, as the visibly livid motorcyclists rode recklessly to Ekiti State House of Assembly complex to show their grievances.
It was the timely intervention of leadership of the House of Assembly, led by the Speaker, Hon Funminiyi Afuye, that saved the face off from causing wanton destruction of lives and property.
The protesting okada riders, led by Mr. Ogundele Filani, urged the assembly and the governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, to save their members from harassment by their colleagues, who were obstructing their daily businesses on the road over the contentious fee.
Sequel to the mounting pressure, police were quickly drafted to areas like Fajuyi , Ijigbo and Okeyinmi areas, to prevent further protest that could tinker with the relative peace in the state.
Sensing danger in the actions of the irate Okada riders, numbering over 500 at the Assembly complex, Afuye appealed to them to maintain peace and resolve issues through dialogue, rather than violence.
The Speaker, who was supported by the Deputy Speaker, Hon Hakeem Jamiu, advised them to make their complaints known to his office officially and that it would be addressed accordingly.
“Taking laws into your hands would rather jeopardize your aim than helping it. I promise to look into your grievances if properly channelled”.
In spite of the plea, the leader of the Okada riders, Ogundele Filani, however, insisted that they did not want Okada riders union again.
Filani said they were protesting against unnecessary levies being imposed on them by leaders of the Union in Ado-Ekiti among which was purchase of an apron at N3,000 by all the members despite the heavy levies their unions collected from them.
He alleged that “our union leaders have been feeding fat on the sweat of other members of the Union . All we want is for the state governor and the Assembly to save us from the union leaders by proscribing the union with immediate effect”, he pleaded.
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