*We’ve constituted a new committee in Bomadi—State body

By Chancel Sunday, BOMADI

Palpable tension gripped indigenes of Bomadi-Overside and environs in Bomadi local government area of Delta State, as members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, N.U.R.T.W., Bomadi Branch, clashed over leadership tussle in the early hours of Tuesday.

Vanguard gathered that the power tussle was sequel to the constitution of a new executive at the branch, last week, by the State executive of the union in Asaba, the state capital.

Chairman of Bomadi-Overside, Mr Ebika Donbraye, who spoke with our reporter during his visit to the Ultra-modern Motor Park, Bomadi-Overside, said the situation was tensed but had been put under control.

He said: “I came to my office early in the morning and I noticed that there is tension in the park. I met groups of boys fighting over leadership of the union and as chairman of the community, I intervened and walked both parties out of the park.

Then, I set up a temporary 8-member committee comprising indigenes of Kpakiama and Bomadi communities who are now working in the park. The situation is under control now”.

Former caretaker chairman of the union in the council area, Mr Godwin Awusa, narrated that the crisis was as a result of irregularities in the election process conducted last week in Asaba.

“There was no proper election in Asaba last week. They appointed the executive rather than electing them and we disagreed. The Bomadi local government council chairman intervened and called a meeting for both parties.

He appointed a neutral body headed by one Mr Wemene Tekeme to oversee affairs of the union pending a proper election to be conducted within one month’s interval, but the other faction objected and chased them out of the park while on duty.

“On my side, I have already stepped aside for the neutral body in preparation for a proper election”, he said.

But, chairman of the new executive, Comrade Tony M. Yerindideke, speaking on behalf of the 11-man executive constituted by the state executive, noted that what was playing out in the union was an unnecessary politicking in the affairs the union.

Yerindideke said: “When we returned to Bomadi after our inauguration as the new executive to run affairs of the union, the former chairman of the union, Mr Godwin Awusa, boasted that as long as the council chairman remains as chairman, he remains chairman of the union.

“We were then invited to a meeting by the council chairman, where he said the state chairman of the union did not inform him of the new leadership, stating that he would not allow us take over leadership of the union.

“He went further to say he would either put a new caretaker executive or supervise the conduct of a fresh election which is not in our constitution. So, we disagreed with him.

“We’re resolute as leadership of the union, we are taking control because this is N.U.R.T.W. affairs, he’s only intruding and causing unnecessary tension”.

When contacted, the state secretary of the union, Comrade Anthony Igwebuike, said: “The new executive committee of the Bomadi Branch alongside with 53 other branches in the state have been constituted by the state executive of the union.

“I have already written a letter to the Bomadi local government council chairman and the secretary, introducing the new executive of the union to him. So, the letter itself will testify”.

However, efforts to speak with the council chairman, Hon. Angadi, were unfruitful as he neither answered calls nor responded a text message sent to his mobile phone at the time of filing in this report.