A former Commissioner of Police (CP), Mr Ernest Ibhaze, yesteray urged members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) to shun violence before, during and after this month’s general elections.
Ibhaze, who made the appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, also urged the executives of the union to inculcate the core values of democracy, peace and security in the members.
He said the union had the responsibility of educating its members on the core values as contained in Section 24(E) of the 1999 Constitution, which provides that it is the duty of every citizen to assist relevant law enforcement agencies to maintain law and order.
The former CP described the NURTW as the most visible private sector-operated transport organisation in the country, noting its immense contributions to the promotion of the land transport sub-sector as well as the socio-economic and political development of the country.
He lauded the union for assisting the law enforcement agencies, especially the police, in the provision of logistic support.
Ibhaze advised members of the union not to engage themselves in electoral offences such as the use of any vehicle bearing the colour or symbol of any political party and persuading voters not to vote for a particular candidate on Election Day.
He called for a synergy between the union and the law enforcement agencies to ensure that its members did not run foul of the law during elections.
“The NURTW should create national consciousness among its members to eschew all acts of violence before, during and after the 2011 elections.
“It is the duty of the executive members of the union to educate other members on the provisions of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” the former CP said.
NAN reports that the union, which was first registered in 1978, has 1.5 million members.
It operates in 2,858 motor parks and has 225 town service parking spaces in the 774 Local Governments Areas of the country.
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Former CP urges NURTW members to shun violence during polls