There is lingering latent disquiet among commercial bus operators in Lagos State over alleged order by Musiliu Akinsanya, known as MC Oluomo, Managing Director of Lagos park Management, to leaders of the various parks in the state to use the parks for the campaign of the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Aswiaju Bola Tinubu. The parks are dominated by agberos under the leadership of MC Oluomo.
Some of the commercial bus operators who spoke to National Daily alleged that the head of the agberos had ordered that all executive members of the various parks must ensure the use of the parks in Lagos to campaign and mobilise support for the APC presidential candidate and other APC candidates in Lagos towards the 2023 general elections.
The drivers also alleged that MC Oluomo threatened to remove any chairman and other executive members who disobey the order to use the parks to promote Tinubu’s campaign.
They further told National Daily that the order was extended to compelling drivers to design the windscreen of the booths of their buses with the APC campaign emblems, which include pictures of Tinubu, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, and others, as they move round the state. The commercial bus operators pointed out that some drivers have complied with the order of designing their buses with APC campaign emblems, while many others are not willing to obey.
The drivers complained that they are being forced to compulsorily support the APC candidate against their wishes.
Some drivers also told National Daily that they are being forced to ‘buy’ N200 ticket daily, which they were told was meant to raise fund for Tinubu’s presidential campaign. This was, in addition to other charges at different locations and bus stops on a single journey in the state.
These were part of the reasons, they said, the drivers declared strike in Lagos last week.