The Nineteen Seventeen Northern Consensus Movement (NSNCM) has appealed to the Federal Government to release the two million electric tricycles promised to its members under the community transport initiative of the Presidential Campaign Council.
The National President of the movement, Dr. Auwal Abdullahi, made the appeal at a news briefing on Sunday in Kaduna.
He said the commitment was made through the National Commercial Tricycle and Motorcycle Owners and Riders Association (NATOMORAS), an affiliate of the NSNCM, during the 2023 election campaigns.
According to him, the tricycles were expected to be distributed under the Community Transport Directorate, headed by the National President of NATOMORAS, Mr. Usman Gwoza, who also serves as the Director of Contact and Mobilisation for the NSNCM.
Abdullahi said members paid registration fees as instructed after being informed that the Federal Government would cover 50 per cent of the cost while beneficiaries would pay the balance.
He explained that the payments were made through NATOMORAS to the Non-Governmental Association of Nigeria (NOGAS), which he described as an organization involved in poverty alleviation, skills acquisition and educational support programmes.
The NSNCM president expressed concern that despite the recent launch of electric tricycles in Abuja, none of the two million units promised to their members had been delivered.
He said the delay had triggered growing agitation among members, leading to arrests and alleged harassment of some leaders.
Abdullahi noted that the movement, which comprises 598 registered associations across the 19 northern states, played a major role in mobilising voters for President Bola Tinubu during the 2023 elections.
“We are supporters of President Tinubu. We campaigned and voted massively through the Community Transport Department of the Presidential Campaign Council. We are only asking that the promise made to our members be honoured,” he said.
He urged the president to direct the release of the tricycles to NATOMORAS for distribution to all registered beneficiaries.
Abdullahi warned that if there was no positive development by December 15, the movement would mobilize its over two million registered members for a peaceful protest to demand fulfillment of the campaign pledge.
“No politician will want to joke with two million votes in 2027,” he said.
