Court Affirms Baruwa As NURTW President

The National Industrial Court in Abuja has reinstated Tajudeen Baruwa as the re-elected president of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), effectively dissolving the Tajudeen Agbede-led Caretaker Committee.

The decision comes as a resolution to the protracted leadership dispute within the union, with Justice O. O. Oyewumi presiding over the case.

Justice Oyewumi’s verdict confirmed the validity of the delegates’ conference held across the union’s six zonal councils on May 24, 2023, where Baruwa was re-elected for a second term.

The court also validated the Quadrennial National Delegates Conference that took place on August 23, 2023, at Ta’al Hotels in Lafia, Nasarawa State, inaugurating Baruwa and other national officers.

The judgment further restrained Najeem Yasin, the former President and current Board of Trustees chairman, from intervening in the union’s daily operations, clarifying that Yasin’s role should be limited to acting as the board’s chairman.

In a critical aspect of the ruling, Justice Oyewumi declared the national delegates’ conference held on October 25, 2023, which purportedly saw Isa Ore and his National Administrative Council take office, to be illegal, null, and unconstitutional.

The judge noted the lack of evidence pointing to a crisis within the union that would justify the ‘doctrine of necessity’ invoked for establishing the caretaker committee.

She ruled, “The National Delegates conference held on October 25, 2024, cannot stand and therefore declare null and void.

“Alhaji Najeem Usman Yasin is also restrained from interfering in the day-to-day running of the affairs of the union. Though he can act as Chairman of the board of trustees of the union.”