Many residents, particularly those whose houses are far from taxi bus stops, were forced to trek some kilometers before getting to their places of work.
Okada Riders had last week staged a protest against the state government on what they tagged "government harsh transport policy", which directed them to go for a commercial number plate worth N8,000.
Furious by the protest, which led to the destruction of government property, Governor Olusegun Mimiko was forced to ban the Okada riders from plying the routes of all major roads in the town.
The issue worsened as security operatives took an undue advantage of the law by arresting motorcycle riders, both private and commercial found in any nook and crannies of the town.
This action has disrupted the commercial activities of the town as many residents, particularly traders, who are not mobile resorted to stay at home.
Johnson Akinduro, who claimed to be a graduate but an Okada rider condemned the action of his colleagues for destroying government property, particularly the flowers planted along Oba-Adesida/Oyemekun Road.
Akinduro, an Ondo town indigene, who resides in Akure said the governor should have taken another disciplinary measure against them rather than placing a ban on Okada transportation which is one of the main sources of transportation in the state.
"There are lots of ways of killing a fowl without shedding the blood. The decision taken by the governor is as if he has been looking for ways of dealing with people of the state, particular those who live in the state capital.
"I am not in the support of the Okada Riders' action by destroying government property, but Mimiko should have known that banning Okada is as banning traders, market women and others from going to their places of work. In Akure, majority of the connecting street roads are in bad shape and there is no how taxi can get to those areas people are living, so many of them find it difficult to get to their offices.
"My advise to the governor is that rather than banning Okada, he should fine them. The government should liase with the leaders that every member must pay a fine that will go to the government's coffer before operating".
A resident of Danjuma, Leke Adeniyi said he was forced to trek to Oshinle, which is about two kilometers before he could get to his hair Saloon.
Adeniyi urged the government to have a rethink on its decision as it had great effect on the residents.
An Activist, Morakinyo Ogele urged the Commissioner of Police, Isaac Eke to caution his men as they had seen the ban as an avenue to extort money from Motorcyclists.
Ogele also faulted the government for banning the Okada Riders, saying the decision breached the constitution of the country.
He said "the clamp down on Okada Riders is a breach of our constitution which guarantees freedom of association. Equally, it is depriving Okada members right to life because that is their source of living.
"The state government has no right to place ban on them because the association is registered under Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC). The governor is also breaching the constitution to right to peaceful demonstration.
"It is incumbent to any governor to obey the organic law of our constitution. To do this, if the governor is breaching the law which he has sworn to protect, this can amount to misconduct on the part of the government.
"The police chasing Okada riders in town are overzealous. It has been widely reported in the state that anybody riding is being seized. You can only seize from the owner only by writ of attachment duly signed by a judge and executed by court bailiff; so the police are going beyond their power. I am calling on the commissioner of police to call his boys to order".
