Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, has urged transport operators across the state to prioritise commuters’ welfare and refrain from arbitrary fare increases, warning against imposing additional financial pressure on residents.
Abiodun made the appeal in Abeokuta while addressing members of nine transport unions who endorsed the All Progressives Congress governorship candidate, Senator Solomon Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, ahead of the 2027 governorship election.
The governor said transport operators should ensure their businesses benefit both their members and the wider public, particularly as his administration continues to invest in road infrastructure and other transport-related projects.
“Now, I am asking you as your governor, having done all this for you, we not only expect you to make money from it, but also to use your sector for the benefit of our citizens. Do not allow them to suffer. Do not increase transport prices arbitrarily,” he said.
Abiodun said his administration had constructed or reconstructed more than 1,700 kilometres of roads across Ogun State, adding that the projects were intended to improve mobility and create better operating conditions for transport businesses.
He also cited the construction of an airport and the implementation of a multimodal transport master plan as part of efforts to strengthen the state’s transportation network.
“We have reconstructed or constructed over 1,700 kilometres of roads across the length and breadth of this state. By doing so, we have created an enabling environment for your sector to not only thrive but to succeed,” the governor said.
The meeting also featured the endorsement of Adeola by nine transport unions operating under the Transport Unions Alliance for Yayi.
The unions include the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria, National Union of Road Transport Workers, Ogun State Park Management Services Limited and the Amalgamated Commercial Motorcycle Owners and Riders Association of Nigeria.
Others are the Articulated Motorcycle Owners and Riders Association of Nigeria, Riders and Owners of Motorcycle Organisation, Tricycle Owners and Riders Association of Nigeria, Three Wheelers Operators and Riders Association, and Riders and Owners of Tricycle Organisation.
Speaking at the event, the chairman of the planning committee and state secretary of RTEAN, Aare Tiwalade Akingbade, described the endorsement as a significant development for the transport unions.
“This is historical because this is the first time we are coming out to endorse a governorship candidate,” Akingbade said.
He said the unions based their decision on their assessment of Adeola’s record and leadership capacity.
In his response, Adeola pledged to build on the achievements of the current administration if elected governor in 2027.
“I can tell you that the people of Ogun State are about to witness the biggest development in the history of this state,” he said.
The National President of ACOMORAN, Alhaji Shamsudeen Apelogun, also called for sustained investment in road infrastructure and an efficient transport system, noting the sector’s importance to the state’s economy.
Apelogun urged transport operators to consider candidates’ records and antecedents when making political decisions and cautioned against using transport unions to create divisions.
The governor’s appeal places commuters’ welfare and transport affordability among the issues facing Ogun State’s transport sector as the state continues to pursue infrastructure development ahead of the 2027 elections.
