Following a petition to the S.O.N by the Keke Owners & Riders Association of Nigeria (KORAN) over the importation of 4,500 units of sub-standard ATUL brand of tricycles, Autobahn Techniques Limited, the importer of the tricycles has begun move to stop the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (S.O.N) from looking into the matter.

A source in SON informed that the chairman of Autbahn Techniques or his representative when invited refused to appear before the Technical Committee of the Agency to defend the allegation. The source also disclosed that the Agency may be forced to seal off the company premises if Autobahn continues to refuse its invitation regarding the issue.

Meanwhile, the leadership of KORAN has reacted to the various adverts and in particular a counter petition purportedly written by one Chief Eze Nwachukwu aimed at asking SON to disregard the petition by KORAN. Chief Eze Nwachukwu in his petition has claimed that the ATUL tricycles supplied by Autobahn was “good, reliable and of sound quality”. KORAN however describes the action of Chief Eze Nwachukwu as “a sabotage not only to KORAN members but also to the nation’s economy”. “Eze Nwachukwu is an expelled member of KORAN. He was expelled when he abandoned the association and was seen working against the interest of the same. He’s only being used by Mr. Ofili Okonkwo, the owner of Autobahn Techniques Ltd to impersonate the leadership of KORAN. We shall again address his own issue very soon” said the National President of KORAN, Alh. Bashir Akinola.

Alh. Akinola continues, “How can anyone in his right senses write to disclaim what is so evident and practically seen to have impoverished the generality of the Keke riders. We are still battling with the trauma caused by ATUL. Eze Nwachukwu himself is a victim of that bad ATUL tricycle; yet …..Eze went ahead to write that nonsense in the newspaper. The riders would ask him to account for his actions and tell where his own good ATUL operates”.

The Press was also challenged by the KORAN President when he asked “why no one among you Press takes the pain to find out where Chief Eze’s KORAN operates or is located in Nigeria . Eze claims he is the Chairman of a Caretaker Committee, please ask him to mention his members, their branches and in what states in Nigeria . Whose interest is Eze working for and where has he kept all the money generated by his Autobahn-supplied ‘good’ ATUL tricycles”. 

KORAN President mentioned that “the clear fact is that Eze Nwachukwu is being used to deceive the Nigerian public and to create the impression that KORAN has two factions. Eze Nwachukwu was never and can never be a faction in KORAN. He stopped being a member since 2007 when he took KORAN to court between 2007 & 2010 in conjunction with his rival Association (not a faction) and at each occasion we got court rulings against him. This is not an imagination, we have facts and evidences. Ask him to produce counter documents. Eze Nwachukwu is not our member. His mission now like from the beginning is to discredit the right leadership of KORAN by trying to impersonate the same while also laundering Mr. Ofili Okonkwo’s image”

In reaction to paid advert signed by Chief Eze Nwachukwu, Alh. Akinola responds, “I urge Nigerians to ask Eze Nwachukwu to substantiate whatever

he claims about KORAN so that they would be able to ask him (Eze) certain questions. Also ask Eze Nwachukwu and Mr. Alban Ofili Okonkwo to show to Nigerians where their own good ATUL tricycles are operating. Go to all the states, interview owners and riders and see who is fooling who.We have since asked S.O.N to invite Chief Eze Nwachukwu to come forward and defend his claim about their ATUL. At least, he should be able to assist S.O.N in their investigations”.

Our Reporter sought to reach Mr. Ofili Okonkwo, the owner of Autobahn Techniques Ltd for his reaction and comments but he could not be reached. It is now the responsibility of the SON to do its proper investigation as to the veracity of the claim of each of the petitioners. If one claims nothing is wrong and the other claims so much is wrong, the onus then stands on the SON to come out in clear terms on its own findings that would suggest its responsiveness to the issues bordering on standard and issuance of SONCAP, more so that KORAN’s claim of bad ATUL tricycles are seen to be something of the eyes than of the nose.