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The leadership crisis within the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) has taken a decisive turn, as Tajudeen Baruwa has assumed control of the union’s national secretariat in Abuja, displacing Musiliu Akinsanya, widely known as MC Oluomo.
The development follows a sequence of court rulings that have redefined the union’s leadership structure and affirmed Baruwa’s position.
Baruwa, who addressed journalists at the secretariat on Monday alongside supporters from across the country, maintained that his actions were firmly grounded in the law. According to him, two separate court judgments validated his leadership and authorised the recovery of the union’s headquarters.
He explained that the union had formally notified the Nigerian Police and attached certified copies of the judgments to facilitate a smooth transition. However, he expressed dissatisfaction with the response of law enforcement authorities, describing their “body language” as “not encouraging,” despite assurances that the union intended to act peacefully.
“But today, as you can see, we are taking over in a peaceful manner, just carrying out the court’s orders,” Baruwa said, adding that the move followed nearly two years of alleged non-compliance with valid court decisions.
“Our coming here is to occupy our office, having obtained judgments at both the lower court and the Appeal Court, but they refused to obey court orders,” he said.
Despite tensions surrounding the takeover, Baruwa insisted that the process was non-violent, although he confirmed that a member of his faction was attacked and hospitalised. He emphasised that the union remains open to reconciliation, stressing that “no one is above the law.”
Supporting this position, the union’s General Secretary, Suleiman Musa, said repeated appeals to those occupying the secretariat had failed.
The legal backing for Baruwa’s claim is substantial. The National Industrial Court, in suit NICN/ABJ/263/2023, affirmed him as the duly elected president of the union. This decision was reinforced by the Court of Appeal in Abuja, which, in a judgment delivered in an appeal CA/ABJ/CV/293/2024, upheld the earlier ruling and dismissed opposing claims.
A three-member appellate panel ruled that the appeal filed by rival factions lacked merit, thereby validating Baruwa’s leadership and awarding N100,000 in costs against the appellants, many of whom are aligned with MC Oluomo.
With the courts having spoken, the unfolding situation now places enforcement and compliance at the centre of the NURTW crisis, raising broader questions about institutional authority, internal union governance, and the role of law enforcement in upholding judicial decisions.
