Tajudeen Baruwa has assumed control of the National Union of Road Transport Workers’ national secretariat in Abuja, dislodging Musiliu Akinsanya, popularly known as MC Oluomo, following a series of court rulings that reshaped the union’s power structure.
Speaking to journalists at the secretariat after reclaiming control on Monday, Baruwa, flanked by supporters from across the country, said his actions were backed by two court judgments delivered in his favour.
Following the victory, Baruwa said the union formally notified the Nigerian Police, attaching copies of the court judgments to facilitate the recovery of the secretariat. However, he noted that the responses were not encouraging, prompting the union to send another notice a few days ago, declaring its intention to take over.
“Their body language has not been encouraging despite repeated assurance that we are not going back to foment any trouble as we are a law-abiding union whose only mission is to get back what belonged to them,” Baruwa said.
“But today, as you can see, we are taking over in a peaceful manner, and it is not a forceful takeover but just carrying out the court’s orders.”
He added: “Again, please be aware that our coming here after two years is to occupy our office, having obtained judgments at both the lower court and the Appeal Court, but they refused to obey court orders after waiting for about two years. We decided to resume back at the office today without causing any violence, and here we are.”
Baruwa noted that while the other faction attacked one of his members, who is now in hospital, the situation was under control. He added that the union remained open to reconciliation.
The National Industrial Court, in its ruling in suit No. NICN/ABJ/263/2023 delivered by Hon. O.O. Oyewumi, affirmed Baruwa as duly elected president of the union.
The appellate court in Abuja, in a judgment delivered on November 8 on the appeal marked CA/ABJ/CV/293/2024, also confirmed Baruwa as the legitimate president, upholding the lower court’s judgment of March 11, 2024.
A three-member panel comprising Justices Hamma Akawu Barka, Nnamdi Dimgba, and Asmau Ojuolape Akanbi dismissed the appeal filed by Najeem Usman Yasin, Tajudeen Agbede, and others, ruling that the appeal lacked merit.
The appellate court further awarded N100,000 in costs against the appellants, who are known loyalists of MC Oluomo.
The General Secretary, Suleiman Musa, said that despite several appeals, those occupying the premises unlawfully remained defiant and refused to vacate.
“We have notified the police that, on the order of the court, we are coming back to our office today, and we are glad that journalists are here to witness it so that the world will know what is going on here,” Musa said.
