By Hassanat Adebowale
The Tajudeen Baruwa led faction of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) has called on President Bola Tinubu to step in and resolve the ongoing leadership crisis within the union.
Lawyer to the faction, Mr. Tolu Babaleye, made this appeal during a press conference in Abuja on Tuesday.
Babaleye urged President Tinubu to persuade Musiliu Akinsanya, also known as ‘MC Oluomo,’ to vacate the national office of the union located at Sapele Street, Plot 1236, Garki II, Abuja. According to Babaleye, despite a Court of Appeal judgment against Oluomo, he has refused to leave the union’s national office.
The crisis began when Baruwa was sworn in as the president of NURTW in 2023, following the union’s constitution. However, a faction led by former President Alhaji Najeem Yasin, dissatisfied with the election results, formed a caretaker committee and ousted Baruwa’s elected officials.
Rather than resorting to violence, Baruwa took the matter to the National Industrial Court of Nigeria to validate his presidency. On March 11, 2024, Justice O.O. Oyewumi (now of the Court of Appeal) ruled in favor of the Baruwa-led executive and dissolved the caretaker committee.
Babaleye noted that Yasin’s faction appealed the industrial court’s decision, but the Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal on November 8, 2024, affirming the judgment of the industrial court.
“To our utmost surprise, news of Oluomo’s inauguration as the national president of the union was announced, disregarding the court’s decision,” Babaleye said. He added that numerous attempts to get the government to address the issue have been unsuccessful.
Babaleye stated that several letters had been sent to the Inspector-General of Police, the National Security Adviser, the Director-General of the State Security Service, the Attorney-General of the Federation, and the Minister of Labour and Employment, requesting their intervention.
“We are using this medium to call on President Tinubu to instruct Oluomo and his group to comply with the court’s ruling. Baruwa is the only legally recognized national president of the union,” Babaleye said.
He also called on the Inspector-General of Police and other security agencies to enforce the court’s judgment and ensure that the rule of law prevails.
In Nigeria, the National Industrial Court handles disputes involving labor unions and employment issues. Once a ruling is delivered and upheld by the Court of Appeal, it becomes binding and enforceable. Failure to comply with such rulings constitutes contempt of court, which is punishable under the law.
In cases like the NURTW leadership crisis, it’s the job of law enforcement agencies, like the Nigeria Police Force and the Department of State Services (DSS), to enforce these court decisions. The Minister of Labour and Employment also plays a role in resolving such conflicts to ensure industrial harmony. This case highlights the importance of strictly enforcing court decisions to maintain the rule of law and prevent chaos within trade unions.
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