The crisis within the Ondo State Chapter of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, took a new dimension as a mock coffin was carried round Akure, the state capital, yesterday.

For hours the protesting members of the union disrupted both business and traffic movement within the metropolis.

After the protest to the Governor’s Office, Government House and round the major streets with various placards, they took over union secretariat, vowing to resist the reinstatement of the suspended chairman, Chief Obayoriade Oladutele.

The protesters who were drawn from various branches of the union said they would resist the imposition of the embattled chairman of the union, Obayoriade.

Speaking with newsmen, their spokesperson, Mayowa Olofinniyi,  tasked the state government to conduct a total re-organisation of the state council of the union in order to prevent crisis in the state.

Olofinniyi  said the protest was necessitated by the alleged move of a government official (names withheld) to impose the chairman on them.

According to him, “there was the need for a complete overhauling of the leadership of the union in the state to engender peace and tranquillity.

In a letter addressed to Governor Olusegun Mimiko, the protesters alleged that they were sent away from their various parks over four years ago for no reason.

They, however, noted that any attempt to bring back the suspended chairman would further aggravate the crisis in the union, as many of the members were already working without fear or favour.

Moreover, apart from rejecting the purported attempt to bring back Obayoriade, the protesters also demanded the dissolution of the executives of all branches across the state.

It would be recalled that the national secretariat of the union suspended Obayoriade over allegation of printing of illegal tickets of the union.

The executive of the union in the state however escaped the axe of the national secretariat.

It hinged the suspension of Obayoriade on the need for proper investigation of allegations levelled against him.

An aide to the embattled Chairman in his reaction said: “God is in control and the devil will soon be put to shame in NURTW Ondo state Chapter”