The leadership crisis the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) may not end soon after a National Industrial Court sitting in Federal Capital Territory Abuja affirmed Tajudeen Baruwa as the re-elected and authentic president of the union.
Aside from that, the court ordered that Tajudeen Agbede and other members of his committee should stop parading themselves as leaders of the transport union, saying they are illegal.
Also, the court restrained the former President of the Union, Najeem Yasin, who was the Board of Trustees chairman, from interfering in the day-to-day running of union affairs.
The judgement was delivered on Monday by Justice O. O. Oyewumi who held that the delegates’ conference held across the six zonal councils was in accordance with NURTW constitution and valid.
On Yasin, she held that the former president could only act as chairman of the board and not to interfere in the union operations and other activities.
It would be recalled that the union members had on May 24, 2023 simultaneously held an election where Baruwa emerged as President for a second term in office.
The court also validated the Quadrennial National Delegates Conference held on August 23, 2023, at Ta’al Hotels in Lafia, Nasarawa State where the president and other national officers were inaugurated.
Oyewumi declared illegal, null, and unconstitutional the national delegates’ conference held on October 25, 2023, where the current Acting President, Isa Ore, and his National Administrative Council were said to have emerged.
According to the judge, there was no evidence of a crisis in the union which would have necessitated Baruwa’s removal.
Consequently, she held that there was no basis for the invocation of the ‘doctrine of necessity’ that led to the constitution of the caretaker committee.
“The National Delegates conference held on October 25, 2024 cannot stand and therefore declare null and void.
“Alhaji Najeem Usman Yasin is also restrained from interfering in the day-to-day running of the affairs of the union. Though he can act as Chairman of the board of trustees of the union,” the judge ruled.
It would be recalled that the Lagos State Park Management Committee led by Musiliu Akinsanya, popularly known as MC Oluomo, has, on August 28, 2023, forcefully taken over the secretariat of the union located at Garki 2 despite the presence of armed security agents deployed to provide security.
