Imo NURTW crisis: Group wants Ihedioha to continue with appointments

A group drawn mainly from the Control Post unit of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, Imo State, has urged Governor Emeka Ihedioha to allow the Mbakwem-led state executives of the union to continue in office.
The group which made the call Monday at the end of a meeting in Owerri, flayed those insisting on elections saying that the same people calling for elections became officers of the union in the past without going through any electoral process.
Speaking on why Mbakwem popularly known as Bus-stop should continue on appointive capacity, spokesman of the group, Comrade Chiedozie Ukwusike (Akabo) recalled that none of the previous state chairmen and executive members of NURTW in Imo from the administration Chief Achike Udenwa, Chief Ikedi Ohakim and Owelle Rochas Okorocha emerged through electoral process and wondered why some detractors of the government would be plotting to destabilize the union over the issue of leadership.
“During Udenwa there was no election, Ohakim’s four years there was no election. In Rochas eight years, the same thing happened. Why should some detractors come up now to demand for elections”, Akabo questioned.
Speaking further, he maintained that those clamouring for elections in NURTW at the moment were doing so for their selfish interests adding that any election at the present could escalate crisis in the union.
He therefore urged the governor to continue with appointments into the union for peace to reign. He also cited what happened during Okorocha’s government when Chief Alphonsus Asomugha (Mayor) was appointed state chairman. Akabo said Asomugha tried to invite the national body to conduct election and the union president came from Abuja purposely to conduct election for Imo State chapter. He disclosed that the same people clamouring for election now rushed to Okorocha to urge him to cancel the election which the governor obliged them.
Akabo said after the cancelation, those appointed by the governor continued in office. He noted that the appointment brought peace in the union at that time.
The group further insisted that since Governor Ihedioha has appointed people for park management, it is also right for him to allow the appointment of the present state executive to continue for peace to prevail in Imo NURTW noting: “Any election conducted in Imo NURTW could create room for saboteurs to step in to sabotage the Rebuild government of Governor Ihedioha”.
The group therefore declared that on no account should the governor allow any election in the union at the moment.
A stakeholder in the union, Comrade Chukwuemeka Njoku said any election in Imo NURTW at the moment could spark crisis in the union. While Comrade Patrick Ugwu said the governor ought to follow the steps of his predecessors by allowing those in appointive capacity to handle the affairs of the union to avoid rancour.