Tag: NURTW

The Osun state government has abolished the Park Management System following the inauguration of new state executives of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) by its national president, Musiliu Akinsanya. 

Governor Ademola Adeleke had earlier disbanded the NURTW in January 2023, replacing it with the Osun Transport Management System (OSTMS) led by Wakeel Nurudeen. 

However, in a statement, Commissioner for Transportation, Sesan Oyedele, announced the dissolution of OSTMS, stating that the decision was made to promote peace and unity in the state.

Read Also: NURTW to transporters: get insured

He said: “Governor Ademola Adeleke rebranded the OSTMS to the NURTW. This move aligned with his commitment to fostering peace and unity within the transportation sector.

He charged the new executive members to imbibe an attitude of respect and humility while discharging their duties.

“The National President of NURTW, Comrade Musiliu Akinsanya, (Mc Oluomo), expressed his appreciation for Governor Adeleke’s efforts in improving road infrastructure to drive economic growth.

“The newly elected NURTW Chairman, Comrade Wakeel Nurudeen Oluronbi, popularly known as (Ola Mummy), also acknowledged the government’s role in fostering unity within the union.”

The Chairman of National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in Ondo State, Mr Ademola Odudu, has said that his members resolved not to be used as puns to settle political differences.

In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Akure on Saturday, Odudu said that the current executive, and former leaders of the NURTW agreed to cooperate with security agencies to maintain law and order.

The chairman expressed confidence that Saturday’s conduct of the local government elections across the state would be peaceful.

NAN reports that 12 political parties are participating in the local government elections conducted by the Ondo State Independent Electoral Commission ( ODIEC).

Odudu, who cast his vote at Ward 10, Unit 7,  Methodist Secondary School, Ôrê in Odigbo Local Government Area of the state, commended the union’s members for their peaceful conduct during the election.

He also applauded the Ondo State Independent Electoral Commission (ODIEC), security agencies and other stakeholders for their peaceful conduct.

Read Also: NURTW worsens as national officers knock Southwest chairmen

“ With what we have seen so far, the election was peaceful and the turnout impressive, there was no reported case of any incidence.

“ I commend ODIEC, the state government and others for ensuring peace during the exercise.

“ I want to say also that our role in the state is laudable.

“My leadership has collaborated with other stakeholders and we have witnessed peace when compared to previous exercises.

“We’ve collaborated with security agencies, government, our national headquarters, our past leaders as well as other stakeholders.

“We preach peace and walk the talk. We now have the most peaceful NURTW state chapter and we are putting in all efforts to sustain it,” he stated.

(NAN)

Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in Lagos State, Alhaji Mustapha Adio, popularly known as Sego, has warned drivers against drunk driving ahead of the Yuletide. 

Adio said the warning is not only for members of the union, but also for everyone, stressing that drinking and driving is against the driving ethos. 

The union chairman said the union, under his watch, will stand against dangerous driving. He also appealed to all to embrace safe and secure driving, emphasising that only those who return home to their loved ones are worthy of commendation. 

He said: “As we prepare for the Yuletide, which is the birth of Jesus Christ and the New Year celebration, I appeal to drivers across the state to be safety conscious. In this regard, we stand against drinking, while driving or drinking before driving. It’s a dangerous trend and such stands condemnable this period and at all times as safety of all is crucial to us.

Read Also: NURTW cautions AGF, IG against aiding Baruwa in its leadership dispute

“As we enter the Yuletide, let’s drive carefully and responsibly. Let’s avoid dangerous driving and also refrain from alcoholic consumption while driving. Only a driver who returns home is worthy of commendation. It’s not about the commercial bus drivers alone, but whoever drives in the state should uphold a safety culture by avoiding alcoholic drink while driving, and reckless driving should be avoided at all times and the well-being of the general public should be our concern. 

“Drivers should not drive against traffic, which we call ‘one way driving’. It’s a dangerous thing that has led to the untimely death of so many people.

“I wish us all wonderful celebration and safe travels during the Yuletide, while I promise that we shall collaborate with other agencies across the state to monitor safe driving throughout the state.”

The National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) has urged the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to resist efforts to drag them into the union’s leadership tussle.

Reacting to a recent letter by lawyer to Alhaji Tajudeen Baruwa, which urged the AGF and the IGP to enforce a judgment, the NURTW claimed that the judgment was allegedly obtained by misleading the court.

Speaking yesterday in Abuja, a national officer of the NURTW and the union’s immediate past National Financial Secretary Uwem James said it was prejudicial for Baruwa to seek to enforce a judgment when cases on the union’s leadership dispute were still pending in court.

James claimed that Baruwa’s tenure, in which he (James) served as National Financial Secretary, lapsed in August 2023, adding that Baruwa was only seeking to come back through the back door by allegedly concocting a case in which he claimed to have got a favourable judgment.

Read Also: NURTW commends IGP over arrest of Osun park manager linked to murder, gun battle

The former National Financial Secretary, who gave a brief background to the union’s leadership dispute, accused the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) of wrongly taking sides with Baruwa without understanding the root of the dispute.

He said cases on the union’s leadership tussle were still pending before the National Industrial Court (NIC) in Lagos and Abuja, adding that applications were still before those courts that had not been determined.

James added: “Alhaji Tajudeen Ibikunle Baruwa, in defiance of the order of injunction that parties maintain status quo ante belum and the application to restrain him pending in courts, both in Lagos and Abuja, still went ahead to declare himself national president at a place in Lafia (Nasarawa State) on August 23, 2023, despite all the suits against him.”

The National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) has called on the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to resist attempts to involve them in the ongoing leadership crisis within the union.

This appeal came in response to a letter from the lawyer of Alhaji Tajudeen Baruwa, requesting the AGF and the IGP to enforce a court judgment. The NURTW alleged that the judgment was obtained by misleading the court.

Addressing journalists in Abuja on Wednesday, Comrade Uwem James, a National Officer and immediate past National Financial Secretary of the NURTW, criticized Baruwa’s move as prejudicial. 

He argued that enforcing the judgment while related cases remain pending in court undermines due process.

James claimed that Baruwa’s tenure, in which he (James) served as National Financial Secretary) lapsed in August 2023, adding that Baruwa was only seeking to come back through the back door by allegedly concocting a case in which he claimed to have got a favourable judgment.

James, who gave a background to the whole leadership dispute in the union, accused the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) of wrongly taking side with Baruwa without seeking to understand the root of the dispute.

He said cases relating to the question of the union’s leadership were still pending before the National Industrial Court in Lagos and Abuja, adding that applications are still before those courts that yet to be determined.

Read Also: ‘Navy committed to ensuring peaceful, prosperous Gulf of Guinea’

James added: “Alhaji Tajudeen Ibikunle Baruwa, in defiance of the order of injunction that parties maintain status guo ante belum and the application to restrain him pending in courts, both in Lagos and Abuja, still went ahead to declare himself President at a place in Lafia on 23rd, August 2023 despite all the suits against him.

“As at then, he showed very clear disregard for the rule of law, court order and pending litigations; and now he wants to enforce court orders in his favour, forgetting that he who comes to equity must come with clean hands. 

“We are constrained to bring this matter to the public domain in order to clarify some misconceptions among members of the public due to Alh. Baruwa’s outcry of victimization. 

“We know as a common order that ‘it is one who is cheated that cries to the court of public justice for redress,’ but the reverse seems to be the case here, where Alh. Baruwa is the one who had heated but seems to be crying the loudest.

“Be it noted that the two cases filed against Alhaji Tajudeen Ibikunle Baruwa are pending before the National Industrial Court cill date. 

“It will therefore prejudice us and the path of justice should Alhaji Ibikunle Baruwa be assisted in any way to enforce any court judgment that we believe he fraudulently obtained by challenging the wrong parties on divergent issues, while cases bordering on his election and constitution of the union, which were first raised and filed in court by us are still pending and yet to be determined. 

“Moreso, it will render our cases useless and may lead to chaos, with the possibility of breakdown of law and order in the union and society at large,” he said.

James prayed the court, where the  cases are pending, particularly the one marked: NICN/UY/27/2023 between Comrade Uwem James & six others vs. NURTW, Tajudeen Baruwa & two others, “to expedite action for a speedy trial and determination of the case, which we believe, will bring a final settlement on this matter.”

The National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) has praised the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, for the arrest of Wakili Nurudeen, alias Alowonle, a park manager appointed by Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke. 

Alowonle was apprehended on Monday night after a confrontation with police operatives, during which his associates engaged in a gun battle to rescue him.

The arrest followed his alleged involvement in the murder of one Oyewale and six others, as well as the assault of state residents. 

Reacting to the incident, NURTW Osun State Chairman Kazeem Oyewale commended the IGP and his team for their swift action.

In a statement, Oyewale distanced the union from Alowonle and his group, affirming, “My members are law-abiding citizens, not criminals.”

He further urged security agencies to arrest those responsible for the killing of seven NURTW members in November 2022.

Read Also: South West NURTW leader accuses NLC of fuelling crisis

“Alowonle’s conducts are against the Union’s principles and ideals. The arrest confirmed our fear in the last 24 months when the state government brought him and other criminal elements to disrupt transport activities in the state.”

“We commend IGP but Alowonle must be asked where he came about police service pistol and bullets. Police authority will do the right thing by fishing out the bad eggs in the Police who Alowonle said supplied him with guns and ammunition.”

Meanwhile, Adeleke in a statement by his spokesman, Olawale Rasheed called for peace and allowed authorities to investigate the situation.

“I call on Osun transport workers to maintain peace and not to take laws into their own hands. I have acted on this sad incident. I spoke with the police Chief and I had a closed-door meeting with the Commissioner of Police. Justice will be served.”

A two term National Treasurer and foremost leader of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in South West has accused the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) of fueling the union’s.

Alhaji Nosiru Komolafe  stated this at a news conference on the crisis rocking the union, especially in Southwest

Going down the memory lane, Alhaji Komolafe explained that the union under Alhaji Najeem Usman Yasin adopted a rotational presidency so as to give all the six geo political zones a sense of belonging. The arrangements started with Tajudeen Baruwa (Southwest), who was put forward despite serious opposition from Ogun state council, his home state.

Komolafe explained that at his inauguration as president in 2019, all the six states in south west were under the umbrella of the union, but shortly after resuming office, he started causing confusing between the union and various state governments and because of his uncompromising attitude  nearly all the state governments in south west proscribed the union in their various states.

By the time he was preparing for second term, there was no union in south west again to endorse him

And as normal practice, Alhaji Komolafe stressed that aggrieved members of the union from Lagos, Oyo and Ogun wrote series of protest letters/ petition to the NLC, stating all the atrocities of Baruwa, but NLC turned deaf. NLC ignored them until the problems escalated.

And again to our surprise, since the beginning of the crisis, the NLC has pitched it’s tents with Baruwa against the rest of union members

Read Also: Southwest leaders to NURTW: your biased stance is fuelling our crisis

“The NLC that’s supposed to be an impartial arbiter decided to take sides contrary to the disposition of the past leaders of NLC such as Abdulwahid Omar and Adams Oshiomhole had waded into union crisis without necessarily aligning with any faction but reverse is the case with Joe Ajaero who wants to install Baruwa at all cost because of his own selfish and sinister motive”

He stated that if the leadership of the NLC had played it’s role as an unbiased umpire the crisis could have been nip in the bud. But the umbrella body decided to take side and the crisis festered

He said that members of the union, especially in south west could not endure another four years of suffering and stagnation under Baruwa, hence the decision to endorse Alhaji Musiliu Akinsanya as our candidate for the president.

Alhaji Nosiru Komolafe, a two term national treasurer and foremost leader of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW)  in the Southwest, has accused the national body of the union of being responsible for the crisis rocking it, due to its biased actions

He said this while speaking to reporters  on the crisis rocking NURTW, especially in the Southwest.

Going down memory lane, Komolafe said the union under Alhaji Najeem Yasin adopted a rotational presidency, to give the six geopolitical zones sense of belonging.

Read Also: NURTW: Appeal Court did not nullify MC Oluomo’s election

‘’The whole arrangements started with Yoruba, and Baruwa was put forward as the Yoruba candidate, despite opposition from Ogun State Council, his home state.’’

Komolafe said at his inauguration as president in 2019, all the six states in the Southwest were under the umbrella of the union, but shortly after resuming office, he started causing confusing between the union and various state governments and because of his uncompromising attitude, nearly all the state governments in the Southwest proscribed the union in their states, namely Oyo, Ogun, Osun, Ondo and Lagos.  So, by the time he was preparing for second term, there was no union in the Southwest again to endorse him.’’