As 2023 General Election approaches, Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria, RTEAN on Monday warned its members nationwide against being used as political thugs to disrupt the elections.
While declaring that it has no preferred candidates in the February 25 presidential and National Assembly elections, the organisation explained that it had yet to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the Independent National Electoral Commission for the movement of logistics during elections because it was not invited.
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The President of RTEAN, Musa Maitakobi, raised these issues while answering questions from journalists during its National Executive Council meeting in Abuja.
He was responding to questions over alleged arming of RTEAN members by politicians to cause crisis during elections and whether it had signed MoU with INEC on the movement of election materials.
At the event, members RTEAN from the six geo-political zones and 36 states of the federation endorsed Maitakobi for second term in office.
He said;
Today, being February 20, 2023, we have 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.
Maitakobi said the RTEAN was neutral and would not engage in partisan politics or endorse any candidate.
He stated;
Our constitution did not tell me to have a preference among people contesting elections. Our constitution does not recognise ethnicity, religion and politics.
Speaking on the relationship between RTEAN and INEC, he said;
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 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.
