By Ayobami Ife, Abeokuta
ABEOKUTA: The leadership crisis buffeting the Articulate Motorcycle Owners and Riders Association( AMORAN), Ogun State chapter has taken a new dimension as Otunba Nurudeen Aina alias Alowonle on Saturday maintained that he did not resign from his office as Chairman.
Speaking with The Daily Crucible, Alowonle alleged that his signature was forged to originate a resignation letter that did not emanate from him
He said he authored only a letter of ‘leave of absence’ for four months, to pursue a political ambition in 2024 during the last local government election in Ogun State.
According to him, his signature on the purported letter of resignation was forged.
He also maintained that he was duly elected, honourably served first term and got the overwhelming votes to serve for the second term.
Insisting that he did not resign from the office, aggrieved Alowonle said he has approached Ibadan Division of the National Industrial Court for redress.
In the suit, he claimed that his Personal Assistant, Otunba Taofeek Sokoya, alias Danku usurped his position and made himself a substantive Chairman by imposition.
Apart from Taoferk Sokoya, others joined in the suit alongside Sokoya as defendants/respondents are the Incorporated trustees of the AMORAN, Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice Ogun State, the Governor of Ogun State and Commissioner for Transport.
He recalled that the needless leadership crisis began when he formally applied for a ‘leave of absence’ between August 5, 2024 and December 4, 2024, to vie for the chairmanship position for Sagamu Local Government, claiming further that while he was on leave, Taofeek Sokoya seized the opportunity to illegally become the association’s chairman.
So, in the suit, the Otunba Nurudeen Aina alias Alowonle is seeking an order of the court declaring that Taofeek Sokoya is not the rightful person to be sworn in as Acting Chairman in his absence as he was only appointed as his personal assistant.
He also wants the industrial court to void the swearing-in of Sokoya as the Chairman of AMORAN.
He claimed there was no vacancy at the time Taofeek was being sworn – in and that the process was a departure from the provisions of Section 16(a)&(b) of the association.
He wants a declaratory order of the Court restraining him(Taofeek Sokoya) from further presenting himself as the Chairman of the Motorcycle Owners and Riders Association, Ogun State.
It was learnt that no date has been given yet by the National Industrial Court, Ibadan Division for the hearing of the matter.
