Barely twelve hours to the Chartered Institute of Transport Administration (CIOTA) general elections billed for Saturday 26th November 2022, one of the presidential candidate simply identified as Cajetan Chukwuemeka Agu has officially stepped down from the contest.
C.C. Agu who is the current Director, Consumers Affairs Department ,Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC) backed out of the election on Friday .
Disclosing the development to our correspondent exclusively in Lagos, Chairman of the CIOTA electoral committee, Professor Samuel Odewumi said Agu’s letter came in at about 2pm on Friday, saying that the election will be keenly contested by Ade Dosunmu and Segun Obayendo respectively.
According to him, a total of 733 members of CIOTA are to vote in the Saturday ‘s elections adding that all arrangements have been put in place to conduct a free and fair election virtually.
Odewumi who also doubles as a Professor of Transport and Environment, Lagos State University, School of Transport , affirmed that the election will hold between 7am to 7pm.
He also disclosed that the electoral committee will announce the names of winners shortly after the collation pointing out the results may likely be announced at about 9pm local time on Saturday.
The Professor affirmed that the post of the president will be keenly contested by two professionals with strong pedigree in transportation noting that CIOTA has never had a strong opposition in terms of an election arena like what is currently experienced in 2022.
He said there will be no room for another extension of the elections saying that all is now set for the polls .
He further urged members of CIOTA to create more awareness for membership saying that the numbers of voters was not encouraging considering the numerous role transportation plays to the nation’s economy and the huge number of employment generated from the four modes of transportation.
CIOTA has as president Dr. Bashir Jamoh,who is the current Director General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).
While Ade Dosunmu was a former DG of NIMASA, Segun Obayendo is a seasoned administrator in road transport sub sector of the nation’s economy , with his company, Temple Group Limited being the pioneer in Computerized Vehicles Inspection company in Nigeria.
Ade Dosunmu hails from Lagos State and a former gubernatorial candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
Segun Obayendo hails from Delta State south south Nigeria.
By Roland Ekama
