A leadership tussle has erupted in Nigeria’s transport sector as Musiliu Ayinde Akinsanya, popularly known as MC Oluomo, was controversially inaugurated as president of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), despite recent court rulings affirming Alhaji Tajudeen Ibikunle Baruwa as the legitimate leader.
The move sparked outrage within the transport union, with Baruwa calling the purported inauguration “laughable” and a direct affront to the judiciary. The controversy comes just days after the Court of Appeal in Abuja reinforced Baruwa’s presidency through a decisive ruling on November 8, 2024.
In its judgment, the appellate court dismissed an appeal filed by former NURTW president Najeem Usman Yasin and others who had challenged Baruwa’s leadership. The three-member panel, comprising Justices Hamma Akawu Barka, Nnamdi Okwy Dimgba, and Asmau Ojuolape Akanbi, not only affirmed Baruwa’s position but also ordered the appellants to pay N100,000 in costs to the respondents.
The court’s decision upheld an earlier ruling by the National Industrial Court delivered on March 11, 2024, which had recognised Baruwa as the union’s legitimate president. Both courts specifically restrained Yasin’s group from interfering with the union’s activities and Baruwa’s administration.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja, Baruwa questioned the legitimacy of MC Oluomo’s inauguration, pointing out that the latter had previously resigned from the union. “It is an indisputable fact that Musiliu Ayinde Akinsanya, MC Oluomo has since lost his membership of the NURTW having voluntarily exited the union on March 9th, 2021, during which he publicly tore his membership card,” Baruwa stated.
The NURTW president emphasised that the union operates under strict constitutional guidelines for elections into official positions. He accused Yasin, a former president who had served two four-year terms, of orchestrating the crisis for personal gains and disregarding legal institutions.
“There is no vacancy in the office of the President of NURTW, and so the purported and illegal inauguration is to that extent null, void, and of no effect whatsoever,” Baruwa declared. He described the situation as a “charade” that undermines both judicial authority and democratic principles.
In response to the escalating situation, Baruwa called on key government officials to intervene. He specifically appealed to the Inspector General of Police to enforce the court judgments. He urged the Attorney General of the Federation to step in “in the interest of peace, order and tranquillity, and the rule of law.”
The leadership crisis threatens to destabilise one of Nigeria’s most influential transport unions, which plays a crucial role in the country’s transportation sector. Baruwa has advised NURTW members nationwide to remain calm while his administration pursues legal means to address the situation.
The tension between the rival factions highlights deeper issues within the union’s governance structure. Baruwa’s team maintains that they will explore every legal avenue to remove what they term “interlopers” from the NURTW headquarters.
For now, the NURTW finds itself at a crossroads, with two claiming leadership positions – one backed by court orders and constitutional procedures, and another challenging the status quo despite legal pronouncements.
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