Tokyo calls for Akala’s arrest

By Ola Ajayi (Vanguard)
ONE of the two factions of the notorious National Union of Road Transport Workers in Oyo,  Tuesday,  appeared before the Commission of Enquiry set up by Governor Abiola Ajimobi calling for the arrest and prosecution of the immediate past Governor, Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala.
The factional Chairman of the union, Alhaji Lateef Akinsola aka Tokyo,  while presenting his memorandum to the panel advised politicians in the state to stop meddling in the affairs of the union.
The infiltration of politicians into the union, according to him was largely responsible for the incessant bloodshed between factions of the union.
Tokyo’s faction which commended the steps taken by governor Ajimobi to stop bloodshed in the state said politicians should “hands off the affairs of the union and stop supporting one faction against the other so as to put a total end to the carnage in the state.”
The union claimed that the bloody clashes in the state that resulted in the death of scores of people should be blamed on the former governor who allegedly was partisan in handling the issue.
It also told the panel led by Justice Olagoke Ige(rtd) to make recommendation for the transfer of the Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr. Baba Adisa Bolanta.
According to the faction’s representative,  Abass Aleshinloye,  there was enough evidence to indicted the former governor and others.
Aleshinloye said, ” we have compiled evidence which graphically shows that the killings and destruction of property are not caused by an intra-union conflict but was mainly planned and executed by Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala.
Both Late Lateef Salako a.k.a. Eleweomo and Mukaila Lamidi and Alhaji Wasiu Abubakar were only instruments in the hands of the former governor.
We maintain that neither Eleweomo nor Auxiliary had the audacity, the wherewithal or the confidence to raise up arms against other members of the union as they did in the last two years if they were not backed, empowered and bankrolled by Ex-Governor Akala”.
“It is further in our evidence that the violent attacks carried out by Mukaila Lamidi and Late Eleweomo is not limited to union members but also to several politicians opposed to the second term ambition of Ex-Governor Akala.
There was failed attempts to kill Senator Lekan Balogun which Bolanta covered up.  We have evidence that Late Eleweomo died in his attempt to murder Senator Teslim Folarin.  Alhaji Lamidi Adesina cried out over an attempt to assassinate him.
His Majesty, the Alaafin of Oyo was not omitted in the list of those to be executed, it said.
Tokyo’s faction claimed it was therefore erroneous to think that the violence of the last two years is an intra-union conflict.

Tokyo and Alao-Akala. pix: Vanguard

It stated that at the public hearing by the commission, the public would  have opportunity to know why the faction is calling for the arrest and prosecution of ex-Governor Alao-Akala and others.