The President of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Alhaji Tajudeen Baruwa, has called on the Inspector-General of Police to ensure the enforcement of the Appeal Court judgement affirming his election as the legitimate president of the union.
Addressing a news conference at the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) headquarters in Abuja on Friday, Baruwa also called on the Attorney General of the Federation to promptly intervene in the interest of peace, order and the rule of law.
Baruwa described the purported inauguration of Alhaji Musiliyu Akinsanya a.k.a MC Oluomo as not only laughable but also an affront to the country’s judiciary.
The Court of Appeal in Abuja had on November 11th, 2024 in the case No. NICN/ABJ/263/2023 declared and affirmed the election of Alhaji Tajudeen Baruwa as the legitimate NURTW president.
The Appeal Court judgement was an affirmation of the March 11, 2024 decision of the National Industrial Court Abuja in Suit No. NICN/ABJ/263/2023 delivered by Justice O.O Oyewumi which also declared Baruwa as authentic NURTW president.
“The law abiding National Executives of National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) were jolted on Monday 11th November, 2024 as we read with utter disbelief, news on social media, the purported inauguration of Musiliu Ayinde Akinsanya, aka MC Oluomo as the President of NURTW in flagrant disobedience to subsisting judgments of both the National Industrial Court and Court which affirmed the election of Alh. Comrade Ibikunle Tajudeen Baruwa as the legitimate President of the NURTW for a term of four years”.
Baruwa also read in full the judgment/decision of the Appeal Court.
According to the judgement, the court ordered that;
- This Appeal is devoid of merit and the same is hereby dismissed.
- I affirm the judgement of the Trial Court delivered on the 11th day of March, 2024 in respect of Suit No. NICN/ABJ/263/2023.
- A cost of N100,000 was awarded against the Appellant and in favour of the Respondents.
Baruwa who frowned at the actions of the former President for taking laws into his hands, appealed for calm among all members of the union across the country as they explore every legal means towards ejecting the Alhaji Najeem Usman Yasin led interlopers from the NURTW National Headquarter Secretariat.
“The purported inauguration is therefore not only laughable, but also an affront on the judiciary as it violates the March 11th and November 8th judgments of the National Industrial Court and Court of Appeal which restrained the Alh. Najeem Usman Yasin led interlopers from interfering in the activities of the union and the day to day administration of Alh. Comrade Ibikunle Tjudeen Baruwa led National Executives of NURTW.
“The action of Alh. Najeem Usman Yasin led lawless group undermines the authority of the judiciary and also a serious threat to democracy.
“It is an undisputable fact that Musiliu Ayinde Akinsanya, MC Oluomo has since lost his membership of the NURTW in line with the Constitution of the union having voluntarily existed the union in March 9th, 2021 during which he publicly tore his membership card.
“Let me add that, the NURTW is a creation of the law with an approved Constitution that stipulates the guidelines for elections into offices of the union which were brazenly disregarded as there is no vacancy in the office of the President of NURTW and so the purported and illegal inauguration is null and void.
“We call on the Inspector General of Police to kindly use his good office in ensuring the enforcement of the Court judgment and the Attorney General of the Federation to promptly intervene in the interest of peace, order and tranquillity, and the rule of law while calling on our members of our great union across the country to remain calm and the general public to condemn in totality, this affront on our democracy,” Baruwa concluded.
