The National President of the National Commercial Tricycle and Motorcycle Owners and Riders Association, Usman Buba Gwoza, has accused the All Progressives Congress of neglecting the group despite its significant contribution to the party’s success in the 2023 presidential election.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Monday, Gwoza stated that NATOMORAS has more than 18 million registered members across Nigeria and the Federal Capital Territory. He said the group mobilised nationwide support for the Tinubu/Shettima presidential ticket, acting as polling agents, campaigners, and grassroots volunteers.
“We were the only association of tricycle and motorcycle riders that publicly declared full support for the Tinubu/Shettima ticket. We gave everything to ensure APC’s victory, and we did it without collecting a single kobo,” he said.
Gwoza explained that his role as national director in the APC’s directorate of transport (tricycle and motorcycle) community was a result of the group’s unwavering loyalty. Despite this, he claimed the association has not received any of the promises made to them during the election campaign.
According to him, the group was assured of federal appointments, funding support, and empowerment initiatives, particularly the provision of tricycles for its members.
“We were promised federal appointments. We were promised financing and support for our directorate. Most importantly, we were promised tricycle empowerment to our members,” he said.
Gwoza also referenced the October 1, 2024 Independence Day announcement by the Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, who stated that 2,000 CNG-powered tricycles had been handed over to NATOMORAS. Gwoza said the announcement was widely circulated in the media but has yet to materialize.
“Till today, not even one keke (tricycle) has been given to our members,” he said.
He noted that the association met with the minister, who confirmed the commitment and assured them of swift delivery. Gwoza also mentioned that NATOMORAS was invited to stakeholder meetings by the Presidential Initiative on CNG in Lagos, Port Harcourt, Ekiti, and Kaduna in May 2024. He said the group bore the full cost of attending these meetings, with invitations signed by PiCNG CEO, Michael Oluwagbemi.
“We sponsored ourselves and attended all the meetings. We feel used. We feel dumped. We feel betrayed,” Gwoza added.
Expressing frustration, he said the association now struggles to maintain credibility with its members and the public. Gwoza clarified that the group is not begging but demanding fulfillment of the promises made.
“We are not troublemakers. We are workers, fathers, mothers, breadwinners and hustlers. We believed in this government and gave our all,” he said.
He warned that if the silence persists, the group may have no option but to peacefully protest nationwide. Gwoza called on President Bola Tinubu and Vice-President Kashim Shettima to uphold their commitments.
“You stood before us and made a vow. Keep it. We have waited long enough. Now is the time for action,” he said.
