By Ikhili Ebalu, Benin City
The crisis rocking Edo tippers drivers association has been attributed to the stage managed moves by the chairman of the association Comrade Augustine Nosa Uhunmwangho to elongate his tenure with an extra year.
Mr Uhunmwangho whose tenure is supposed to come to an end in October 2019 is not seeking for a renewable of mandate rather asking that it should be extended by a year.
Going by the constitution of the association, an elected officer of the association shall enjoy the tenure of four years in office and also seek for renewal of mandate at the expiration of tenure.
The chairman move for elongation of tenure is being challenged by leaders and members who consider it as unconstitutional which must not be allowed.
One of those who raised his voice against the chairman elongation of tenure, Comrade Osaro Aigbekhan was suspensed indefinitely.
Comrade Osaro Aigbekhan who led a protest to the Edo State House of Assembly said his suspension is invalid according to him, no quorum was form in line with the association constitution at the meeting where he was allegedly suspended.
He further said the board of trustees of the association which ought to sit on the suspension saga is being chaired by the same association chairman. ” can we get justice from such body? No,he asked rhetorically”.
The constitution according to Comrade Aigbekhan should be sacrosanct, election must be allowed to hold.
Meanwhile the Edo State House of Assembly at plenary, received a petition from the Edo Tipper Drivers Association, the petitioners are calling on the Edo State House of Assembly to wade into the matter of autocratic leadership and elongation of tenure by uttering the constitution by the current chairman of the association whose tenure will expire on 19th October 2023. The petition was signed by Comrade Osaro Aigbekan and one other member for the association. The House has however set up an ad-hoc Committee to look into the matter.