NURTW accuses Osun INEC of disregarding court judgment in leadership dispute

By Boye Oyeyemi

The National Union of Road Transport Workers has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission’s Osun State office of disregarding court judgments by allegedly claiming it was unaware of the union’s leadership dispute while engaging another faction for election logistics ahead of the Osun governorship poll.

The National President of the union, Tajudeen Ibikunle Baruwa, who made the allegation in a statement on Monday, insisted that he remained the authentic leader of the NURTW based on subsisting Court of Appeal judgments and warned INEC against recognising any rival group.

Baruwa maintained that the appellate court had affirmed his leadership, saying only the National Executive Council under his administration had the legal authority to enter into agreements with INEC on the transportation of election personnel and materials.

He said, “The Court of Appeal has delivered clear and subsisting judgments affirming me as the duly elected and only recognised National President of the NURTW. Our National Executive Council is the only body authorised to enter into any agreement, including the INEC/NURTW Memorandum of Understanding on election logistics.”

The union also dismissed the legitimacy of any group allegedly operating outside the Baruwa-led leadership, including those linked to Musiliu Akinsanya, popularly known as MC Oluomo, claiming such groups lacked the legal backing to represent the union.

Baruwa said, “We urge the Osun State INEC to immediately desist from engaging or accrediting any illegal group for the movement of election personnel and materials. Any arrangement with such a group is null and void and contrary to existing court judgments.”

He disclosed that the national headquarters of INEC had already been notified of the court decisions, warning that the union would not hesitate to institute legal action to protect its rights and prevent any action capable of disrupting the electoral process.

The NURTW president reaffirmed the union’s commitment to its partnership with INEC in ensuring the peaceful and timely movement of election materials nationwide, stressing that all official engagements with the union should be conducted through the office of the national president at its Abuja headquarters.