Why I Remain ACOMORAN President - Apelogun.

Why I Remain ACOMORAN President - Apelogun. 

The National President, Amalgamated of Commercial Motorcycle And Tricycle Owners, Riders and Repairers Association of Nigeria (ACOMORAN), Alhaji Shamsudeen Apelogun, has affirmed that he is the authentic leader of the association.

Apelogun made this known in Abeokuta on Friday while reacting to an allegation against him made by expelled Secretary of the association in Ogun State, one Yekinni Lateef.

He noted that, the allegations made by the former Secretary was baseless, because there was a Memorandum of Understanding between the Federal Ministry of Transportation and other motorcycle associations to come together under one umbrella body.

THE ENCOUNTER NEWS recalled that, the expelled Secretary, Yekinni Lateef had on Thursday accused Alhaji Apelogun of illegally changing name of the association ACOMORAN to become ACTOMORAN.

Yekinni further alleged that, the national president was imposed on members in the state by the outgoing governor of Ogun state, Senator Ibikunle Amosun.

But Apelogun while speaking with journalists in Abeokuta refuted being imposed by governor Amosun, saying he was elected in 2011 as the state Chairman of the association before Senator Amosun was elected. 

Speaking on the alleged change of name of the association to ACTOMORAN, Apelogun also denied changing the name of the association, explaining that, the move to include other sister associations like Tricycle and Repairers became imperative following the directive of the Federal Ministry of Transportation and the state government to register with Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) as one entity. 

He explained that, in 2016, the association under the leadership of Shehu Babangida applied for the inclusion of other allied associations with CAC and after 28 days public notice in national newspapers without any objections from members of the public, CAC approved the new name Amalgamated Commercial Tricycle and Motorcycle Owners, Repairers and Riders Association of Nigeria.

Apelogun therefore maintained that, in order not to confuse members of the public, the association has continued to retain the old acronym ACOMORAN. 

According to him, immediately the name of the association was changed, the board of trustees and some concerned stakeholders amended the constitution to accommodate other motorcycle associations and the new constitution was unveiled in 2017 in Abuja by Senator Sanni Yerima and Minister of Transportation, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi. 

"The truth of the matter is that in 2016, the Federal government ordered all motorcycle associations in the country to harmonize into one umbrella body which was what necessitated the inclusion of Tricycle and Repairers Associations into ACOMORAN.

"Immediately that order was given we approached the CAC for changing of name,  and after 28days we published the new name in national newspapers without any objections from members of the public, CAC approved the name and members of the trustees amended the constitution and it was unveiled on 28th February, 2018 at Shehu Musa Yar'Adua Centre, Abuja.

"After the expiration of the immediate president of the association in 2017, Shehu Babangida who is from Plateau State, a caretaker committee was put in place for about one year, but we did another election where I contested and won on 9th February, 2019.

"All Yekinni Lateef wanted was to become the Chairman of this association in Ogun State, but it became impossible for him because of the atrocities he had committed while he was General Secretary, so he decided to join NATOMORAN.

"This is not the first time Lateef Yekinni was making this unfounded allegation and it has become his habitual way of life because he always feel jealous each time the association makes any significant progress like the recent approval of solar-powered motorcycle and tricycle by the federal government.

"I understand his circumstances being a frustrated and desperate former member of our association who was expelled from the association after his conviction as an ex convict by a magistrate court in Abeokuta."