March 23, (THEWILL) — The leadership crisis rocking the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) took a decisive turn on Monday as Tajudeen Baruwa assumed control of the union’s national secretariat in Abuja, dislodging Musiliu Akinsanya, popularly known as MC Oluomo.
The development followed a series of court rulings that affirmed Baruwa as the union’s legitimate president, bringing legal clarity to a protracted leadership tussle that has divided members nationwide.
THEWILL recalls that the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, ruling in suit No. NICN/ABJ/263/2023 delivered by Justice O.O. Oyewumi, had on March 11, 2024, affirmed Baruwa as the duly elected president of the union.
The ruling was subsequently upheld by the Court of Appeal in Abuja in a judgment delivered on November 8, 2024, in appeal No. CA/ABJ/CV/293/2024.
A three-member panel of the appellate court, comprising Justices Hamma Akawu Barka, Nnamdi Dimgba, and Asmau Ojuolape Akanbi, dismissed the appeal filed by loyalists of MC Oluomo (including Najeem Usman Yasin and Tajudeen Agbede), as lacking merit and awarded N100,000 in costs against the appellants.
Speaking to journalists on Monday shortly after the takeover, Baruwa, flanked by supporters from across the country, described the action as a peaceful enforcement of judicial decisions rather than a forceful seizure of power.
“Today, as you can see, we are taking over peacefully, and it is not a forceful takeover but just carrying out the court’s orders,” he said.
Baruwa disclosed that the union had formally notified the Nigeria Police Force of its intention to reclaim the secretariat, attaching copies of the court judgments to facilitate a smooth process.
However, he expressed concern over what he described as an unencouraging response from the police despite assurances of a peaceful exercise.
“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,” he stated.
He revealed that the union had exercised restraint for two years after securing favourable judgments before deciding to physically occupy the secretariat.
“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,” Baruwa added.
He, however, alleged that one of his supporters was attacked by members of the opposing faction and is currently hospitalised, though he stressed that the situation remained under control.
Reiterating his commitment to peace, Baruwa extended an olive branch to aggrieved members, emphasising that the union remains open to reconciliation.
“We are still open to reconciliation as we are a lawful organisation and not a troublemaker. No one is above the law,” he said.
Corroborating his account, the union’s General Secretary, Suleiman Musa, said those previously occupying the premises had defied repeated calls to vacate despite multiple notifications.
“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.
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