MC-THE BETRAYER!

How MC Oluomo Sold Out Lagos NURTW Over Greed, Power Lust

By Lanre Olaleye

For  avid followers and loyalists, the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is unarguably the god-father of Lagos politics. He maintains a groping grip on the political firmament of Lagos like a lion fiercely in control of its territory. Little wonder he is fondly called ‘The Lion of Bourdillon’ by his acolytes.

From his Bourdillon Road, Victoria Island abode, he rule over the political landscape of Lagos like a military commander commanding his troops across the 20 LGAs and 37 LCDAs of the state. He sits comfortably atop the pyramid-power structure as the Apex Leader of the Lagos APC. He has consistently held the apex leadership position of the party since he became the Governor of Lagos State in 1999 till date. To his credit, he has successfully steadied the progressives’ ship using somewhat persuasive and subterfuge means to successfully control the party in the state. If Tinubu sneezes, APC Lagos and beyond quake.

In Asiwaju’s world, every man has his own value and he has greatly invested in the potentials of his loyalists and even his traducers. Thus, it is well-known that he is surrounded by best brains in the socio-political and economic sectors. Governors, lawyers, legislators, security agents, politicians, businessmen, technocrats, religious leaders and even miscreants, they are all his foot-soldiers. He deploy them at will to his great advantage and he rewards them handsomely for their loyalty.

However, among the non-state actor loyalists, none has enjoyed the trust and support of the APC National Leader more than the Lagos State Chairman of the National Union of Road and Transport Workers (NURTW) Musiliu Akinsanya (a.k.a MC Oluomo). To Asiwaju, MC Oluomo is a loyal and dependable son who must be protected by all means. 

While there are divided opinions as to the role he oversees during elections in the ruling political party, MC Oluomo remains one of the most loyal and committed party members working for Tinubu’s interest and that of the APC. Though a primary school dropout, MC Oluomo has not allowed his lack of education to discourage him from his dream.

Quite early, from his bus-conductor days in the major parks at Oshodi, Akinsanya had recognized the essence of political power as a major weapon to outwit opposition. Growing up in Oshodi, a commercial suburb of Lagos with numerous self-styled overlords struggling for prominence it was tough but he still managed to remain strong. He ruled over the long stretch of Oshodi Road and the Apapa/Oshodi Express Way. But his membership of the National Union of Road and Transport Workers (NURTW) soon gave him the edge over the other overlords. Thus, his popularity and goodwill among the motor park touts and street urchins within the adjoining markets ensured he became an obvious choice for the post of Treasurer and eventually the Chairman of the Oshodi Branch of the NURTW.

Akinsanya had kept a close relationship with Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and other prominent leaders of the APC in the state since the latter’s emergence as Lagos State Governor in 1999. Since then, he has been an important member of the youth wing of the party, overseeing Team Lagos- an APC security ad-hoc committee in charge of security matters across the 20 LGAs and 37 LCDAs in Lagos. To his credit and his goons, APC has won elections that ushered in Tinubu, Fashola, Ambode and now Sanwo-olu in a convincing manner across the state.

For his effort, the party hierarchy and the state government supported and facilitated his bid to become NURTW Chairman in the state after three failed attempts in the past. He exhibits the opulence of a man of means who controls an army of ultra-loyal supporters-mostly motor-park touts and the disaffected whose daily needs MC Oluomo meets. 

Like a Mafia boss who does no piety without a reward, watchers of Oluomo’s brand of politics say he deploys these people for political thuggery since he can make them cause mischief at the snap of his fingers. He has, for years, been able to use these rabble to control power at motor-parks almost across the state.

 As the helmsman of the Agberos in Lagos, MC Oluomo sits on a monumental goldmine. With a combination of persuasion and brute force, the union rakes in a combined N123.078 billion from commercial buses, tricycles and motorcycle riders yearly as union fees. This amount represents 29.4 % of Lagos State Internal Generated Revenue (IGR) of N418.99 in 2020. With such a humongous financial war chest, the motor park kingpin is primed to be among the top contributors to Tinubu’s 2023 presidential campaign.

 

MC Oluomo seems to understand the two basic powerful tools needed to win elections in Lagos. For those who know him too well, he is using his deep pockets and street credibility to great effect-spreading his political tentacles across the state. At the last local government elections, he successfully coveted two councils to his growing colonies. It is no longer news that he singlehandedly installed Kehinde Almaroof Oloyede and Bayo Olasoju as council chairmen of Oshodi/Isolo LGA and Isolo LCDA respectively. Sources informed that the motor park kingpin gave huge financial and strategic supports to ensure victory for his two henchmen during the election.

Though, his bid to ensure his bosom friend, Ahmed Bola Oseni secure the APC chairmanship primary ticket of Igando/Ikotun LCDA was truncated by outcry from leaders and elders of Alimosho, nonetheless he has footholds in other council areas of 

the states. 

Yet, he maintains a firm grip on the Lagos State chapter of the NURTW like a despot by hounding imaginary and percieved enemies into submission or outright annihilation through intimidation, harassment and other subterfuge means.

Before he ascended the union leadership, Oluomo's pervasiveness is well documented but yet unproven. He was alleged to have a hand in the death of some of his traducers such as Hamburger, Baba Esi, Ade Lawyer and a host of others. Recently, he was reported to be responsible for the remand of Kunle Lawal a.k.a Kunle Poly at the Kirikiri Maximum Prison following clashes between warring factions of NURTW members at Lagos Island which resulted in the death of two persons with many injured. Sources say Kunle Poly was framed up due to his frequent altercations with MC Oluomo over union's activities in Lagos Island.

For those who know him too well, the motor park kingpin's greed and lust for power is legendary. He detest opposition and can go to any length to drive them underground which explains why many of the trusted allies of the former State Chairman, Tajudeen Agbede have been releaved of their duties and replaced with his own men. This has created obvious divisions among the various branches of the Lagos council resulting in skirmishes among members at major motorparks and garages across the state.

MC Oluomo's unquenchable lust for power, according to sources in the Lagos secretariat of the union was the major cause of the discord with the Chairman of Branch C, Azeez Abiola a k.a. Istijabah which has fetched Oluomo an indefinite suspension by the national body of the union. A directive from Abuja for the inauguration of the State Executive Committee of the Tricycle Owners and Operators Association of Nigeria (TOOAN), an affiliate of the NURTW to be headed by Istijabah was vehemently turned down by Oluomo. Rather, he would prefer the subsisting zonal arrangement to be maintained. Thus, the inauguration of Istijabah and his committee would elevate the former to the same pedestal with Oluomo which the latter is opposed to.

There have been accusations and counter accusations from the two combatants with Istijabah alleging Oluomo was out to kill him. In trending videos in the social media, the transport chief took the state chairman to the cleaners by detailing how he was waylaid by Oluomo's boys at the state secretariat while the state chairman's camp alleged that Istijabah brought thugs to the secretariat to cause mayhem.

Sensing bad signals from Abuja, Oluomo's camp reportedly mount the offensive by mobilizing some of its members to stage a protest to the State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu to do everything within his power to forestall a repeat of the bloody crisis in Lagos. They alleged that the ongoing interference of the union’s national body in the Lagos NURTW’s affairs could trigger bloody violence as witnessed recently in the state, saying the leadership of MC Oluomo doesn’t need external factors to avert mayhem.

The concerned drivers union, who stormed Marina, Lagos House to protest the alleged interference by external forces, said that Lagos NURTW doesn’t want what they described as  “meddlesomeness”. The union members, who were personally received by the Governor, also called on him to discourage interference in the union’s matter, saying the management of the state tricycle operations is not within the powers of the national body of the union.

They insisted that the power to control the operation of the tricycle is strictly within the internal competence of the State Executive Council. In a letter submitted to the Governor by a team led by the Union’s State Treasurer, Alhaji Mustapha Adekunle also known as Sego, the union argued that the power to manage, create and recreate branches rest within the power of the state council of the union and not the national body.

 “The power to create, recreate, cancel, merge branches, units, zones are exclusively granted under Article 17[2] iv to the State Executive Council of each state and Lagos State is not an exception. The current zonal arrangement of the tricycle and motorcycle operations of the union which has assured peace is indeed commendable and should not be jettisoned.

“We hereby pass a vote of confidence in Alhaji Akinsanya and seriously warn that this state shall not allow anyone for political considerations to tamper with her peace as is presently the situation in midst of the NURTW State Councils in Southwest,” they said.

In his response, Gov. Sanwo-Olu, praised the union members for not taking laws into their hands, assuring that the state would continue to do everything to ensure peaceful coexistence of residents and ensure the safety of lives and property in the state. He said: “I have received all your messages and it will be given due consideration. As you come here peaceful, I urged you to go back to your various destinations peacefully. It is paramount as government to address the issues with the urgency they deserve.”

However, the sordid turn of events may have infuriated the national body as it wielded the axe by suspending MC Oluomo indefinitely over alleged misconduct, insubordination, and inciting members of the State chapter against the apex body. It has also 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.

MC Oluomo’s suspension was contained in a letter sent to him on decisions taken by the national body as regards his recent conducts which Union described as a total disregard for the constitution governing members’ activities across the country. The national body stressed that it resolved to suspend MC Oluomo after it became obvious that he was not apologetic over his actions even after he was directed to explain reasons for embarking on such. 

In a new twist to the matter and barely hours after his suspension, MC Oluomo would not go down without putting up a fight. At a crowded press conference held at the state secretariat, the embattled state chairman announced his withdrawal and that of the state executives from the national body. Akinsanya said all attempts to resolve the imbroglio with the national body had been futile prompting the withdrawal of the state from the national body of the union.

"Being law-abiding and responsible citizens, we have decided to explore all avenues for peace in the interest of all, we will not support any action that can threaten the peace that we cherish so much in Lagos State.

“Therefore, I, Comrade Musiliu Ayinde Akinsanya, on behalf of the State Administrative Council (SAC), State Executive Council (SEC) members and the entire union rank and file members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Lagos State Council with over 200 Branches and Zones hereby resolve to immediate withdrawal of our membership and operation from the national body of NURTW for peace to reign in Lagos State and to write the Lagos State Governor, Lagos State Ministry of Transportation (MOT) and other relevant agencies about our decision,” he said.

Oluomo thereafter called on Lagos State Government to take over the running of the affairs of the union with the constitution of a Park Management Committee for garages and parks in the state to ensure guarantee peace pending determination of the matter in the interest of public peace.

He added: “It is important to state that our action is in line with section 40 of the constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended, which provides as follows: "Every person shall be entitled to assembly freely and associate with other persons, and in particular he may form or belong to any political party, trade union or any association for the protection of his or her interests. This means that every person shall be entitled to join an association and exit freely without molestation.

“In view of this and the crisis at hand, Lagos State Government is hereby invited to consider its white paper on Transport Union activities, 2004 section 5C, which states that the government should take over the management of any garage or motor park where there is a crisis until such is resolved by the consultative committee.”

Findings by The Snoop have, however, shown that the breakaway from the national body did not come as a surprise to Gov Sanwo-olu and his cabinet. He had envisaged such as the financial war chest of the Lagos NURTW has been a major attraction to the state government for so long. Hence, the invitation by the embattled Oluomo to take over the control of major parks and garages in the state is a big opportunity never to be turned down. Hence, when the state commissioner of Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotosho announced the suspension of NURTW activities in the state, insiders say it was a familiar script as the state government has had its eyes on the union's financial apple-pie for long which until now had been fiercely resisted by Oluomo. 

But in a manner that suggest he would rather cede Lagos NURTW to the state government than having it shared with Istijabah, Oluomo allegedly sold out the most vibrant and resourceful state council in the country on the alter of greed and ego. According to dependable sources, Oluomo is assured of a prominent role when the new Park Management Committee is constituted in the state and as such he found it convenient to pull the rug from the national body's feet in response for their support to Istijabah.

Though Lagos State Government appears to be the direct and major beneficiary of the power game among the topbrass of NURTW in Lagos, keen watchers are, however, of the opinion that the end to the prolonged crisis among the union members in the state and at the national body remains a mirage with contending forces at play.