By Abiola Olawale
Radical human rights activist and Senior Advocate of Nigeria(SAN), Mr Femi Falana, has called on the Federal Government to immediately remove Musiliu Akinsanya, popularly known as MC Oluomo, as the President of the National Union of Road Transport (NURTW).
This is as the legal luminary declared that Comrade Tajudeen Baruwa should be immediately restored to his office as President of the NURTW.
Falana made this call in a statement addressed to the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi and the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun.
Falana said the call was necessary to ensure strict compliance with the judgments of the National Industrial Court and the Court of Appeal.
Falana maintained that the courts have confirmed and recognised Comrade Baruwa as the President of the NURTW.
The statement reads in part: “On August 28, 2023, a gang of armed thugs invaded the National Secretariat of the National Union of Road Transport Workers at Abuja. One of the security men guarding the said Secretariat was killed by the armed invaders.
“At the end of the violent invasion, the Secretariat was seized while the elected President, Comrade Tajudeen Baruwa and members of his Executive were arrested and charged with murder before a Magistrate Court in the Federal Capital Territory. However, the charge of murder was withdrawn and struck out after the successful but illegal seizure of the Secretariat!
“As a law-abiding citizen, Comrade Baruwa approached the National Industrial Court for legal redress. In a judgment delivered on March 11, 2024, the Court confirmed Comrade Baruwa and members of his Executive as the elected leaders of the NURTW.
“Dissatisfied with the judgment, the opponents of Comrade Baruwa appealed to the Court of Appeal. On November 8, 2024, the Court of Appeal delivered its judgment. The Justices of the Court dismissed the appeal and confirmed the judgment of the National Industrial Court which had recognised Comrade Baruwa as the President of the NURTW.
“In view of the foregoing, we call on the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Lateef Fagbemi SAN and the Inspector-General of Police, Dr. Kayode Egbetokun to ensure that Comrade Baruwa is restored to his office in strict compliance with the judgments of the National Industrial Court and the Court of Appeal.”
The New Diplomat reports that this comes after the court of appeal in Abuja affirmed Baruwa as the president of the NURTW.
A three-member panel of justices led by Hamma Barka affirmed the March 11, 2024, judgment of the national industrial court in Abuja, which reinstated Baruwa for his second term as the union’s president.
It would be recalled that O.O. Oyewumi of the National Industrial Court had equally affirmed the legitimacy of the zonal delegates conference, where Baruwa was re-elected on May 24, 2023.
Oyewumi also recognised the quadrennial national delegate conference held on August 23, 2023, as the valid assembly for inaugurating national officers.
However, some aggrieved individuals, Najeem Yasin, Tajudeen Agbede, and others who claimed to be the union’s national leaders filed an appeal marked CA/ABJ//CV/293/2024 challenging the industrial court’s decision to recognise Baruwa as president.
Ruling on the matter, the appellate court dismissed the appeal and awarded N100,000 against the appellants.
