Rots of military era brought Keke to Nigeria – Obasanjo

Ex- President, Olusegun Obasanjo has lamented that the emergence of Keke-NAPEB in Nigeria was as a result of bad military rule, as he said that he did not belong to any political party in Nigeria any longer.

Obasanjo made this know at a function of the National Commercial Tricycle and Motorcycle Owners and Riders Association, NACTOMORAS, in Abeokuta, the Ogun state capital.

Addressing members of the association, Obasanjo said, 'As for me now, I don't belong to any political party and I will not belong to any political party. The only thing that is of concern to me is the greatness of Nigeria. But let me tell you that I am always available to you for pieces of advice just as I promise to talk to you the way I would talk to my own children.'

'You should be rest assured that I will advise you honestly and sincerely. You know that I am not usually afraid to tell anyone off, you know I am not afraid to do so. Let me also advise you against drunkenness and drug. Don't get involved in them, because most of the accidents on our roads have been traced to abuse of drug and drunkenness among drivers.'

He also said that the economic challenges that bedeviled the country during the military era led to the entry of tricycle in the country.

'Before the existence of your organisation, what we knew in Nigeria were taxi drivers. But because of hard economic situation in the military government days, Keke NAPEP came in. I even mandated and made provision for Keke NAPEP all over the country, because where ever we may be, we need a means of transportation.'

'As our population increases, so much more efforts will be needed to move people from one place to the other as our urban areas multiply so much that we need to move people from urban and sub-urban areas,' he said.