Folalumi Alaran in Abuja
The National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Inspector General of Police (IG), Kayode Egbetokun, and the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, to prevail on the former President of the union, Najeem Usman Yasin, to vacate the union’s national secretariat in line with the order of the court, to avoid breakdown of law and order.The current President of the union, Alhaji Tajudeen Ibikunle Baruwa, stated this yesterday in Abuja at a press conference addressed by his lawyer, Tolu Babaleye, on the judgment of the National Industrial Court delivered on March 11, 2024, by Justice O.O Oyewumi, which affirmed Baruwa as the validly elected president for the union for a second term.
He described the statement made by Yasin in a viral video as contemptuous and affront to the court where he made a derogatory statement in an attempt to downplay the authority of the court that “the judgment of the court amounted to nothing and that they have resolved to install one Musiliu Ayinde Akinsanya (aka MC Oluomo) as the national president of the union and also install one Mustapha Adekunle as the Lagos State chairman.
According to his lawyer, “We are aware of a video on social media where Alhaji Najeem Yasin gathered some people telling them that there is nothing the court can do.
“I want to sound a note of warning that Najeem Yasin should be aware that there is a court order restraining him from interfering in the affairs of the union.
“We are using this opportunity to call on the President of Federal Republic of Nigeria, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Federation, Minister of Labour and Employment, Inspector General of Police, AIG Zone 7, and FCT Commissioner of Police to give effect to the judgment of National Industrial Court recognising Alhaji Tajudeen Ibikunle Baruwa as valid and substantive elected president of NURTW.”
He narrated how Yasin’s ‘illegal group’ executed a coup d’état to hijack the national secretariat of the union with the help of the police who unjustly arrested Baruwa and other executive members and later charged them to court for the offence they never committed.
According to the lawyer, “On March 11, 2024, a judgment was delivered in which the election of Baruwa was confirmed as valid and that nothing should stop him from performing as the democratically elected president of the union along with all other members of National Executive Council.
“The court granted all the reliefs sought by the claimants except in relief 1 in the Originating Summons. Relief 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 were granted in favour of Baruwa and other others.
“Relief 9 succeeds only to the extent that the first defendant (Alhaji Najeem Yasin) as chairman Board of Trustees (BoT) has no right to interfere in the day-to-day running of the affairs of the union. As the role of the board of trustees is only limited to advisory role and does not include interfering with the running of activities of the union.
The court also declared the action of the fourth defendant ( Kayode Agbeyangi ) who has been parading himself as the acting general secretary as null and void, unlawful and of no effect therefore affirming Suleiman Abdulkadir as the acting general secretary of the union.
On his own part, Baruwa appealed to the members of the union across the state to remain calm, adding that the relevant authorities would do the needful and ensure that the court is obeyed.
