Goaded By Tinubu’s Favorite MC Oluomo, How Ambode’s Strong Ally Agbede Lost Out In Race To Become National President Of Transport Union

Charles Oyelesi

Tajudeen Agebde, the outgoing chairman of the Lagos state chapter of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) almost became the national President of the organization.

But he was goaded into defeat by fellow transport unionist Musiliu Akinsanya more popularly known as Oluomo.

Though they are members of the same chapter of the NURTW, Agbede and Oluomo intensely work against each other’s interests.

Agbede is a staunch loyalist of immediate past Lagos Governor Akinwunmi Ambode while Oluomo is a hardcore supporter of Ambode’s estranged godfather Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Interestingly Oluomo helped Agbede to become the Chairman of the NURTW in Lagos state in a hard-fought move that upstaged the second term ambition of former chairman Rafiu Akanni Olohunwa.

Agbede was Olohunwa’s vice chairman.

‘’But as it did with Olohunwa, how the transport union is administered especially how funds are shared crumbled the relationship between Oluomo and Agbede’’ a source stated.

Societynow.ng learned with his second term coming to an end – and in the face of intense rivalry with Oluomo – Agbede indicated interest in becoming the national President of the NURTW.

‘’This was after he learned that Oluomo was backing another candidate to occupy the post’’ societynow.ng learned.

Oluomo reportedly backed eventual winner Ibikunle Baruwa.

According to a source ‘’It was clear Baruwa stood a good chance to become the national president of the NURTW because he is well entrenched in the union and he has loyalists across the country. He has been a player in the top echelon of the organization for a long time, but Agbede goaded on by the rivalry with Oluomo, and need to live up to the boasts the latter would not match his achievements, threw his hat in the ring against Baruwa and expended a fortune trying to achieve his objective’’.

But it all turned futile efforts because blinded by rivalry with Oluomo, Agbede glossed over the fact that becoming national president of the NURTW is beyond ‘shelling out money’’ in his planning.

‘’It is more of rub my back I rub yours amongst the members of the national executives’’ societynow.ng learned.

Smarting from his defeat in the attempt to become the President of the NURTW, sources disclosed that Agbede quickly put in place a process that ‘’suddenly’’ threw up Baba Ajilo (Michael Odugunle) as Chairman of the Lagos state chapter of the NURTW.

‘’The move is interpreted as a last-minute effort to ensure Oluomo does not match his record by becoming the Chairman of the NURTW in Lagos state’’ societynow.ng learned.

Sources claim Oluomo who is a strong contender for the position is currently fighting against the emergence of Baba Ajilo by urging the National Executives of the NURTW to declare the process that produced him’’ null and void’’ and order an election as stipulated in the transport body’s rules book.