Musa Muhammed Maitakobi, the National President of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), has emphasised to members of the association not to allow themselves to be used as political thugs to incite violence in the forthcoming general elections. Maitakobi made this statement at the National Executive Council meeting of RTEAN held in Abuja.
The National President urged the members to abide by the law and avoid engaging in any activities that could cause unrest or disrupt the peace. He stressed the importance of upholding the law and ensuring a peaceful and secure environment for the elections to take place.
While several political parties had approached RTEAN, asking for support and endorsement for their presidential candidate, Maitakobi clarified that the association would remain politically neutral and would not back any particular candidate. He emphasised that RTEAN's primary objective was to promote the welfare and interests of its members and to contribute to the development of the transport sector in the country.
Maitakobi also stated that the association had been working with the relevant authorities to ensure that transport workers and commuters could go about their daily activities without fear of violence or harassment during the election period. RTEAN has made arrangements to ensure that members comply with the electoral guidelines and procedures and that their activities are conducted within the ambit of the law.
The National President of RTEAN called on all members to prioritise peace and security in their operations and to work together to prevent any form of violence or disruption during the election period. He urged them to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities to the appropriate authorities.
“We’re not endorsing a presidential candidate because the RTEAN constitution does not allow us to have or demonstrate a form of preference among people contesting elections. Our constitution does not recognise ethnicity, religion and politics.
“Any member of RTEAN, anywhere you find yourself, don’t allow yourselves to be used for touting, political thuggery and hooliganism.”
In the meantime, the national, zonal, and state leaders of RTEAN have given Maitakobi a vote of confidence for his “purposeful and satisfactory leadership” since he took office in 2020.
They praised him as the only candidate for the upcoming RTEAN National Delegate Conference, which will take place in April. They said he deserved to be re-elected because he had done a great job in office since October 2020, bringing RTEAN together and starting projects that helped the local economy of the association.