The National Commercial Tricycle and Motorcycle Owners and Riders Association is calling for an official investigation into the alleged diversion of a presidential campaign promise of 2,000 CNG tricycles to private companies, who are now allegedly selling them to its members at inflated prices.

The body has accused the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas initiative of breaching a campaign promise to allocate 2,000 CNG tricycles to its members.

Speaking to our correspondent, the programme director and Chief Executive of the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative, Michael Oluwagbemi, dismissed the claims by NATOMORAS President Usman Gwoza, challenging the group to produce evidence of any presidential commitment to allocate 2,000 CNG tricycles to their union.

“So, he gave a private promise to him. Can he show us the agreements the president signed with him?” Oluwagbemi asked.

“Where is the written agreement between him and the president? When you say somebody promised you something, wouldn’t you show where the person promised you? The video, at least. Even if the president promised it, let’s assume he did. Which he did not.”

He added, “The president did not discuss anything during the campaign.”

In contrast, NATOMORAS National President Usman Gwoza insists that the promise was made publicly and supported by official documentation and statements from campaign officials.

“All the letters that are given to us, invitations to Lagos and Port Harcourt, Kaduna, were all signed by him. All the letters were signed by him,” Gwoza stated.

Referring to an October 1 event, Gwoza said, “Then secondly, on October 1, he delivered his speech. I also delivered my speech. And he mentioned that the support that they wanted to give as per the campaign promise was 2,000 CNG to be given to our union. And I have the report; I have the documents, everything.”

He accused Oluwagbemi of diverting the CNG tricycles and working with private companies to commercialise them instead.

“So, he’s conniving with some other companies, releasing these tricycles for them, and he is giving them out on hire purchase for N2.5m. Then the company collecting from him is giving it out for N3.5m. The thing that they said they should give us for the campaign promise.”

Gwoza also alleged preferential treatment of other unions: “The CNG buses have been handed over to NARTO, RTEAN. Whether it is because he can’t play with them. So, he thinks that we NATOMORAS are nobody and cannot do anything.”

Backing his claims, Gwoza pointed to NATOMORAS’ formal role during the campaign season. “On our declaration day, 2022, the Vice President represented the President with the present Minister of Agric. At that time, he was National Deputy Chairman of the APC. They came with the declaration. I have all the agreement.”

“Based on our capacity, the Presidential Campaign Council gave us a directorate called the Director of Community Transport. We have the letter signed by the PCC and the Secretary PCC. And we have the one that the party gave us recognition that they are going to work with us. I have that letter.”

Calling for government intervention, Gwoza said, “The government needs to investigate this because he is giving this tricycle out for N2.5m. When did the president ask to give it out on N2.5 m? I have the people who collected 100 pieces on N2.5 m each. And those people that are being given are not even members of the NATOMORAS.”

“That’s why we are out to tell Mr President in case he is not aware,” he concluded.