First Lady Moves Against Oyetola's Son Over Extortion Allegation

By Lanre Olaleye 

There is a growing disquietness within the Presidential Villa as the First Lady, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu has moved against Femi Oyetola, the son of  the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola over the alleged extortion schemes.

The minister is the junior brother to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and therefore is brother in-law to the First Lady who literally consider the Oyetola's as part of the First Family.

However, The Snoop exclusively gathered the First Lady is increasingly disillusioned with series of alleged extortion of top officials of the agencies under the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy by the minister's son, Femi.

 

Sources in the ministry say Femi Oyetola carries himself in a way that is unbecoming in the agencies under the supervision of his father, using his relationship with the minister to coerce top officials in the ministry to fund his extravagant lifestyle.

It was gathered that Femi imposed himself on officials of the ministry even when he has no official role whatsoever; dropping his father's name to extort money from the officials.

“On one occasion, Femi (Oyetola) stormed the office of a Director in the ministry and demanded for money to fund his weekend expenses. When the official seek to know the basis of such request, Femi flared up at him, warning of consequences if his demand is not met,” one of the sources who chooses not to be named narrated.

She said Femi furiously asked the Director to find out about him in Osun State where his father had served as Governor, noting that the rattled official was left with no option but to surrender to the demand of the young Oyetola.

It was gathered that Femi was imposing on officials in Osun while his father was Governor, pressuring them to surrender to his extortion to fund his extravagant lifestyle.

 Another source said Femi extortion is not limited to the ministry but also agencies that are under it, saying the son of the minister moved from one agency to the other to draw out money from the officials.

The source said Femi is a regular visitor at the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), which is manned by a former Commissioner in Osun State under his father, Mr. Bola Oyebamiji, who seems to literally indulge the reckless demands of the minister’s son.

At a point, the source noted, Mr. Oyebamiji impressed on officials under him to attend to any request that comes from Femi, stirring concerns among workers in the agency on the impunity that is taking root in the ministry

"This is not the first time we will be having a minister with a son but what we have seen with Femi (Oyetola) is quite disturbing,” the source who works in NIWA but do not want name in print for fear of reprimand said, adding that “He (Femi) takes advantage of his father’s position to extort officials and if you don’t want to agree with him, he resort to threat. It is really troubling." One of our sources revealed.

The shabby and ignoble practices of Femi, according to a presidential source, has not gone well with the Presidency, especially members of the President’s family, who considers the minister’s son conduct as a blight to the Tinubu administration and want his father to reign in on him before it is too late.

To this end, the First Lady, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu was reported to have had a private discussion with the minister with a view to putting his son's excesses in check, reminding him of the dangerous consequence such acts portend to the image of the President and the First Family.

“Femi (Oyetola) extortion scheme has reached the attention of the Presidency and I can tell you, they are not happy about it. Particularly the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu and the President’s first daughter, Iyaloja Shade Tinubu, who both viewed Femi's conduct as reckless and capable of tarnishing the image of the Tinubu administration if not curbed,” the source noted.

"Even Seyi Tinubu is not happy about reports on Femi, wondering why he chooses that route and not take a cue from what he’s doing to positively project the administration. And what he even uses the money for is not what people should even know.” Our source concluded.

 

'Sego Not Lagos NURTW Member'

By Lanre Olaleye

Despite the affirmation of Comrade Tajudeen Baruwa as the dully elected National President of the National Union of Road and Transport Workers  (NURTW) by the National Industrial Court (NIC) recently, there are indications to suggest peace is still far-fetched in the Lagos State chapter of the union.

A National Industrial Court sitting in Abuja on Monday 11th March 2024 affirmed Alhaji Tajudeen Ibikunle Baruwa as the validly elected NURTW President for the second term just as it sacked the Alhaji Tajudeen Agbede-led Chairman Caretaker Committee.

Justice Oyewumi also restrained forthwith the former President of the union, Comrade Najeem Usman Yasin who was also the Chairman Board of Trustees from interfering in the day-to-day running of the affairs of the union. She held that Najeem can act as chairman of the board.

The presiding judge while delivering her judgment on the leadership crisis rocking the union also held that the Zonal Delegates Conference across the six zonal councils of the union held on 24th May 2023 where  Baruwa emerged as President for a second term in office was valid.

The court also validated the Quadrennial National Delegate Conference held on August 23rd 2023 at Ta’aL Hotels Lafia, Nasarawa State where the President and other national officers emerged and inaugurated.

Oyewumi declared as illegal, null and void and unconstitutional the National Delegates Conference held on 25th October 2023 where the so-called Acting President, Alhaji Isa Ore and his National Administrative Council were said to have emerged. 

She ruled that there was no evidence of crisis in the union and therefore there was no basis for the invocation of  ‘doctrine of necessity’ which led to the constitution of the so-called Caretaker Committee.

The NIC Court ruling has therefore permanently checkmated the inordinate ambition of the embattled Lagos State Chairman, Alhaji Musiliu Akinsanya (a.k.a. MC Oluomo) of becoming the National President of the union.

It would be recalled that MC Oluomo had declined to hand over the reign of power to Mustapha Adekunle (a.k.a. Sego) as earlier agreed by stakeholders in the state. Sources say Oluomo wanted to forcefully foist himself on the national body through his connection with the Presidency.

Oluomo's subterfuge moves had reportedly been resisted by the national body and indeed the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), the umbrella body of the union who had viewed the alleged invasion and occupation of the national secretariat of the union by suspected thugs as total disregard to it's independence and statues.

Speaking on the recent court judgement and it's implication for Lagos State chapter, an influential member of the union who craved anonymity told our correspondent that the judgement has far reaching implication as all the state councils throughout the federation would have to conduct fresh state congresses to elect new state executive committees.

"It is a normal process, a new National President has been affirmed by the court. Hence, state congresses must be held across the federation to elect their various state executive committees. There is no issue about that," Our sources revealed.

Asked to comment on the proposed swearing-in of Mustapha Adekunle as the Chairman of Lagos State council, our sources asked rhetorically: "Is he a member of the NURTW? How can you become the chairman of a union you do not belong to. Was he issued a certificate of return by the National secretariat of the body? 

Proded further on the matter, the source recalled the crisis that engulfed the Lagos council about two years ago. The crisis prompted the national body to place an indefinite suspension on Oluomo.

"He never challenged the suspension in any court. Only for him to pull out of the union to join Lagos State Park and Garages with some members including Sego. All of them are members of Park and Garages and not members of the NURTW. 

"If Oluomo and his group in Lagos are claiming to be members of NURTW, ask them to produce their certificates to validate the election that brought them into office.

"As far as we are concerned, Sego is not a member of NURTW unless he reapply for membership. Even at that a fresh election would have to be conducted and the dully elected state chairman would be sworn-in by the re-elected National President." Our source concluded.