The tricycle riders lamented that they were left stranded after they were prevented from seeing the President.
The three tricycle riders who drove from Lagos to Abuja in solidarity with President Bola Tinubu have cried out to Nigerians to come to their aid and assist them financially.
The tricycle riders lamented that they were left stranded after they were prevented from seeing the President.
They disclosed this on Tuesday in Abuja while addressing journalists over their frustration and disappointment after risking their lives.
The three men who belong to the Tricycle Owners Association of Nigeria (TOAN) took off from Lagos on Monday, July 3 and arrived in Abuja on Tuesday, July 4, 2023, after spending 17 hours on the road.
SaharaReporters learnt that the journey of about 757 km from Lagos to Abuja was aimed at showing solidarity and support to the President and also informing him that tricycle engines could be assembled locally.
The Chairman of TOAN, Ajah branch, Onanuga Babatunde, who spoke to journalists lamented how they had spent 10 days in Abuja without seeing the President or any of his aides.
He said the journey was also meant to mark President Tinubu’s 38th day in office on July 4, 2023, as well as to celebrate his successful inauguration.
He said they were stranded and could not return to Lagos after spending over N100,000 to fuel their two tricycles.
He said the officials at the National Secretariat of the All Progressives Congress (APC) had not given them an audience.
He said they were also prevented from gaining access to the party secretariat.
Onanuga said they were being treated like outcasts at the APC National Secretariat.
Onanuga said, “I am the one that drove a tricycle from Lagos to Abuja to show solidarity with the President. We are three in number – Comrade Ahmed Bolaji and Comrade Akintade Temitope.
“We started the journey on Monday, July 3rd and we got to Abuja on July 4th. We are here to show solidarity with the President. When we were coming, we had challenges on the road but we thank God, we overcame them.
“Since we arrived, we have been stranded. We have spent 10 days in Abuja. We have spent all our money on fuel and we don’t have anything with us. We have been paying for hotel accommodation since we came to Abuja.”
The TOAN chairman, however, described President Tinubu as a “very kind-hearted father who would use his good office to ensure that tricycles are assembled or manufactured in Nigeria as one of his legacies”.
Temitope called on the President to give them access to meet him.
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