The council chairmen of National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in the Southwest, comprising Lagos, Ogun, Ekiti and Ondo states, Alhaji Mustafa Adekunle (Sego), Alhaji Mustapha Adewale (Yaro), Chief Joseph Falope (Olofooro) and Comrade Ademola Odudu have responded to Alhaji Tajudeen Baruwa, the embattled former president of the union, over wrongful accusation.
Baruwa had in a Save Our Soul (SOS) letter to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, accused the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, of backing Alhaji Musiliu Akinsanya’s presidency in the NURTW.
The chairmen described Baruwa as “a drowning fellow, who will cling to anything to survive” and accused him of fabricating falsehood to gain public sympathy.
They said Baruwa’s team had blamed President Tinubu and former NURTW president, Alhaji Najeem Yasin, for their problems, ‘‘only to now shift the blame to Gbajabiamila.’’
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Putting the record straight, the chairmen said the problems in the union stemmed from Baruwa’s disregard for a court order.
They said: “In 2023, some aggrieved members of the union in the Southwest instituted legal action at the National Industrial Court in Lagos, challenging his competency/legitimacy to contest for second term in office. The presiding judge in her wisdom ordered parties in the matter to maintain the status quo ante belum pending determination of the case challenging Baruwa’s eligibility for a second term.
“However, Baruwa, out desperation, ignored the order and conducted a ‘kangaroo delegate conference’ without recourse to the court’s position.”
The chairmen claimed that Baruwa ignored the popular saying that ‘he who comes to equity must come with clean hands.’