The Radio, Television, Theatre and Arts Workers Union RATTAWU, Ekiti State Council has been battling series of allegations and counter allegations since the inception of the current administration in February 2024.
The Chairman, Com. Tola Popoola has been alleged of high handedness, taking unilateral decisions, not holding statutory union’s exco meetings, disbanding women wing of the union, lack of capacity to lead, conniving with the management of media houses to punish her perceived opposition, suppressing the campaigns of the Presidential Candidate from Ekiti State, financial misappropriation amid several other allegations.
The latest allegation was labeled against the chairman by the erstwhile treasurer of the state council, Com. Kemi Adeyanju who coincidentally from thesame establishment as the state council chairman, the Broadcasting Service of Ekiti State.
According to Com. Adeyanju, several months before her ultimate resignation, the state council chairman was withdrawing monies from the Union’s account without her involvement despite the fact that the Financial Secretary of the union has resigned over a year ago.
Investigations reveal that the chairman has secretly changed the signatories of the Union’s account and included a Non-exco member who went to the bank to request for a new cheque book and now withdraws monies for the chairman with the knowledge and express permission of the former Vice President of the union, Com. Banji Adelusi.
it could be recalled that in less than two years of the administration, the constitutional eleven state executive members has now reduced to five with the latest resignation being that of the treasurer. Since the Treasurer and Financial Secretary are the constructional co-signatories of the union’s bank account with the chairman, the construction prescribes that a bye election must be urgently conducted to fill up the vacant positions. But in Ekiti State RATTAWU, no bye election has been conducted despite losing more than half of the exco already.
Although the national president of the union has been intimated of the series of developments, the members eagerly await the reaction and action of the National Secretariat on the matter. At least an investigation into the series of allegations would be apt to get to the roots of the infighting and proffer a lasting solution in the interest of floor members.
