*We gave N1M to AMATO to bail it of rent challenge – COMTUA
*COMTUA cleverly got our account number and paid N1M into it. We wanted to return it. – AMATO
The Council of Maritime Transport Unions and Associations (COMTUA) has said that it is deeply rooted and stands like a rock in the maritime transport industry.
Responding to the Chairman of Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMATO), Chief Remi Ogungbemi, who referred to COMTUA as defunct, its National President, Comrade Adeyinka Aroyewun, described such a statement as insincere.
Aroyewun reminded Ogungbemi that
COMTUA he is disparaging once credited AMATO’s account with One Million Naira, to bail it out when the association was in dire need of money to pay rent on its office.
COMTUA also accused Ogungbemi of turning himself to the spokesperson and the defence counsel of APC Lagos State Chairman, describing it as laughable.
”We know you for your insincere praises of people and authority for recognition. I have known you in the last Twenty years to own no single truck, yet you claim to lead or represent truckers; How?
“I challenge you to post a truck number that will bear your name. You have been the ONLY president of AMATO in the last twenty years of registration, NO AGM, NO ELECTION,” Aroyewun slammed AMATO chairman.
He took exception to calling him a serial blackmailer, saying that he has evidence for every allegation he makes and has never been on the wrong side of the law.
“That you, Bala and Onikoyi are on TTP/ETO payroll is not news, you have always been in defence of every evil that befalls us in this industry,” Aroyewun knocked Ogungbemi.
However, in his reponse, Ogungbemi accused Aroyewun of cleverly getting AMATO’s account number where he transferred the One Million Naira.
He added that when he saw the money he vehemently kicked against it and summoned a meeting where he insisted that the money should be returned because he saw it as a “Greek gift and a way of using the fingers they are using to eat Beans Cake to rub AMATO’s mouth, but honestly speaking, majority opinions in that meeting is that we shouldn’t return the money, that the amount is even meager, compare to what AMATO members have been contributing/paying to enable crossing trucks”.
On the allegation that he is on the payroll of TTP/ETO with other people, Ogungbemi said he will appreciate it if Aroyewun can help him access the money he alleged he is collecting from TTP/ETO which he read in another platform amounts to N1.2m every month.
“I need the money now because am ageing. No one spends money in the grave. I am hereby using this medium to thank those that means me well by rumoring it drumming it, making me know that am entitle to it and that it’s legitimate,” he enthused.
On the allegation that he has no single truck but heading a truckers association, the AMATO chairman replied succinctly that, “This is laughable, can anyone say Baba Obasanjo or Baba Buhari is not a soldier?”