Tajudeen Baruwa, former president of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), has taken over the union’s national secretariat in Abuja after dislodging Musiliu Akinsanya, popularly known as MC Oluomo, citing a series of court rulings.
In November 2024, the court of appeal in Abuja affirmed Baruwa as NURTW president, upholding the earlier judgment of the National Industrial Court, which had reinstated him in March for a second term.
O.O. Oyewumi of the National Industrial Court had affirmed the legitimacy of the zonal delegates’ conference where Baruwa was re-elected on May 24, 2023.
The judge also recognised the quadrennial national delegates’ conference held on August 23, 2023, as the valid assembly for inaugurating national officers.
Dissatisfied with the ruling, Najeem Yasin, Tajudeen Agbede, and others who claimed leadership of the union filed an appeal marked CA/ABJ/CV/293/2024, challenging the industrial court’s decision recognising Baruwa as president.
However, in a judgment delivered on November 8, a three-member panel of justices led by Hamma Barka dismissed the appeal and awarded N100,000 in costs against the appellants.
The ruling also nullified the election of MC Oluomo as union president, which had taken place at the union’s zonal secretariat along the Osogbo–Ikirun road in Osun state on November 9.
Nearly two years later, Baruwa moved to assume control of the NURTW secretariat on Monday, stating that his action was backed by the two court judgments delivered in his favour.
“Today, as you can see, we are taking over in a peaceful manner. This is not a forceful takeover but the execution of court orders,” Punch quoted Baruwa as saying.
“Please note that our return after two years is to occupy our office, having secured judgments at both the lower court and the Court of Appeal. Despite waiting for about two years, those involved refused to comply with the rulings. We have now resumed at the office without causing any violence.
“Although the other faction attacked one of our members, who is currently in the hospital, the situation is under control. We remain open to reconciliation, as we are a lawful organisation, not troublemakers. No one is above the law.”
Baruwa noted that he had formally notified the police before the move but expressed disappointment at their response.
“Their body language has not been encouraging, despite repeated assurances that we are not out to cause trouble. We are a law-abiding union, simply seeking to reclaim what belongs to us,” he said.
Corroborating his position, Suleiman Musa, general secretary of the Baruwa-led faction, said the takeover followed several failed attempts to remove those he described as “illegally occupying the premises” and refusing to obey court orders.
“We notified the police that, based on the court’s directive, we would be returning to our office today. We are glad that journalists are here to witness this, so the world can see what is happening,” he said.
