The E-hailing Transport Initiative, LagRide Scheme, a partner of the Lagos State government, has urged Governor Sanwo-Olu to intervene in the forceful takeover of 21 of its vehicles by Ibile Holdings.
Comrade Idris Shonuga, the National President of the Professional E-Hailing Drivers and Private Owners Association (PEDPA), called for intervention during a briefing in Lagos yesterday.
He alleged that Mr. Tobi Lawal, the new Managing Director of Ibile Holding Company, forcibly took over 21 vehicles from investors (partners) in the Ajah area of Lagos earlier in the week. This action was reportedly carried out in a Gestapo manner, involving policemen from the Lagos State Rapid Response Squad (RRS). These vehicles were legally covered by the state government under a four-year repayment plan.
Shonuga stated that on the day in question, he was invited to the Ibile office by the Managing Director to discuss business operations. However, during the meeting, he was allegedly threatened to return all the vehicles acquired through him by investors. The intention was to transfer ownership to new drivers, leaving the original investors, who had each invested over N1 million, without recourse.
“The creation of the LagRide came to correct some of the anomalies experienced by Uber and Bolt drivers who were heavily manipulated by the foreign companies operating them without subjection to our labour regulations, leading to so many agitations by the drivers who wanted a better operating deals.
“However drivers who were supposed to be the original beneficiaries of the scheme could not come up with 5 percent of N1.8 million, amounting to N90,000 demanded by Polaris Bank as equity payment for the credit facilities to aid drivers in accessing the ride.
”But at the end, only 50 drivers were able to afford it, so we had to bring in investors, who are referred to as partners, to make the payments for the acquisition of the vehicles and afterward sub-let to drivers, making the scheme to eventually take off after six-months of calls to drivers without responses.
“By the introduction of the investor arrangement, the LagRide scheme, therefore, involves three parties – the drivers, the investors, and the App management company.
Ibile Holdings MD reacts
In response to the justification for the takeover, Tobi Lawal, the Managing Director of Ibile Holdings, stated that his objective as the MD was to rectify certain anomalies identified within the LagRide operations. He emphasized a particular concern about the participation of partners, which, according to him, “deviates from the government’s initial plan.”
He said: “The original idea for the creation of the LagRide scheme is to empower unemployed young graduates expected to acquire the vehicles for commercial transportation purposes, but the plan was abrogated with the introduction of the partners, with the connivance of some Ibile Holding staff, by fleet management companies, even when the design of the scheme did not factor in the use of fleet management companies.”
“Whatever agreement that is existing hitherto between Ibile Holding Company in respect of the use of partners and investors is not binding as long as it is not signed by either the managing director or the company secretary who are the authorizing authorities. I have decided to retrieve those vehicles for handover to drivers.”