Baruwa Unseats MC Oluomo, Takes Control Of NURTW Secretariat

The leadership crisis within the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) deepened on Monday as Tajudeen Baruwa took over the union’s national secretariat in Abuja, displacing Musiliu Akinsanya after a series of court rulings reshaped the union’s leadership structure.

Addressing journalists at the secretariat, Baruwa, flanked by supporters from across the country, maintained that the takeover was backed by two court judgments affirming his position.

He explained that the union had earlier notified the Nigerian Police, attaching certified copies of the judgments to facilitate the recovery of the secretariat. However, he expressed dissatisfaction with the response from law enforcement, describing it as unconvincing. This, he said, prompted a follow-up notice issued days earlier, declaring the union’s intention to resume operations in line with the rulings.

Baruwa said, “Their body language has not been encouraging despite repeated assurance that we are not going back to foment any trouble as we are a law-abiding union whose only mission is to get back what belonged to them.

“But today, as you can see, we are taking over in a peaceful manner, and it is not a forceful takeover but just carrying out the court’s orders.

“Again, please be aware that our coming here after two years is to occupy our office, having obtained judgments at both the lower court and the Appeal Court, but they refused to obey court orders after waiting for about two years. We decided to resume back at the office today without causing any violence, and here we are.

“Although the other faction attacked one of our members, who is now in the hospital, the situation is under control. We are still open to reconciliation as we are a lawful organization and not a troublemaker. No one is above the law.”

Supporting his position, the union’s general secretary, Suleiman Musa, said repeated appeals to those occupying the premises had failed, as they allegedly refused to vacate.

“We have notified the police that, on the order of the court, we are coming back to our office today, and we are glad that journalists are here to witness it so that the world will know what is going on here,” Musa stated.

The dispute arose from Baruwa’s opposition to the inauguration of Akinsanya as the union’s president. Earlier decisions by both the National Industrial Court and the Court of Appeal restrained interference in the affairs of the Baruwa-led executive.

In a judgment delivered in suit No. NICN/ABJ/263/2023, Justice O.O. Oyewumi of the National Industrial Court affirmed Baruwa as the duly elected president of the union. This position was later upheld by the Court of Appeal in Abuja in a judgment delivered on November 8, 2024, in appeal No. CA/ABJ/CV/293/2024.

The appellate court also upheld the lower court’s ruling of March 11, 2024, which recognised Baruwa’s leadership. A three-member panel comprising Justices Hamma Akawu Barka, Nnamdi Dimgba, and Asmau Ojuolape Akanbi dismissed the appeal filed by Najeem Usman Yasin, Tajudeen Agbede, and others, ruling that it lacked merit.

The court further awarded N100,000 in costs against the appellants, identified as loyalists of Akinsanya, thereby reaffirming Baruwa as the legitimate president of the NURTW.