Transport employers warn members against being used to disrupt 2023 polls

The Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) has issued a stern warning to its members across the country against being used as political thugs to disrupt the upcoming general elections beginning on Saturday, February 25.

The warning which was given on Monday by the RTEAN President, Musa Maitakobi, during an interactive session with journalists at the union’s National Executive Council meeting in Abuja, said the union has not entered into any agreement with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to convey election materials.

Maitakobi also maintained that the RTEAN has no preferred candidates in the February 25 presidential and National Assembly elections, and explained that it had not signed a Memorandum of Understanding with INEC for the movement of logistics during elections because it was not invited.

“Our constitution did not tell me to have a preference among people contesting elections. Our constitution does not recognise ethnicity, religion and politics.

READ ALSO:Sanwo-Olu bans RTEAN in Lagos

“We are vehicle owners. We are not drivers and we are representing the Federal Republic of Nigeria in trade union act. We can’t go otherwise. INEC knows we are here and they know our headquarters.

“If they invite us, we will go and if they don’t, we can’t push ourselves to INEC. If you want to know the reason why we are yet to sign an MoU, it is better to communicate with the INEC chairman and ask him why he didn’t invite RTEAN this year,” Maitakobi said.

“Today, being February 20, 2023, we have a special message to our members throughout the federation. The message is simple. Members of RTEAN, anywhere you find yourself, don’t be allowed to be used as thugs or hooligans.

“I know our members are law-abiding citizens and we, as an association, will not allow any member to involve himself in any trouble,” the union President added.

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