The national leadership of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) has inaugurated a seven-member caretaker committee to oversee its affairs in Osun State, despite the state government’s suspension of the union’s activities following recent violence at motor parks. The committee, chaired by Kazeem Oyewale, popularly known as Asiri……
The national leadership of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) has inaugurated a seven-member caretaker committee to oversee its affairs in Osun State, despite the state government’s suspension of the union’s activities following recent violence at motor parks.
The committee, chaired by Kazeem Oyewale, popularly known as Asiri Eniba, was inaugurated on Friday at the union’s national headquarters in Garki, Abuja.
The inauguration comes weeks after the Osun State Government suspended NURTW operations in the state following clashes between rival factions of the union that disrupted activities at several motor parks.
The state government, through the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, announced the suspension as part of efforts to restore peace and order.
Authorities also halted the collection of levies at motor parks and directed security agencies to arrest anyone claiming to be a NURTW official or executive while the suspension remains in force.
The crisis erupted after a faction led by Oyewale staged a protest against the leadership of the Osun NURTW Chairman, Nurudeen Alowonle.
The protesters, accompanied by police officers, marched through major roads in Osogbo before arriving at the Old Garage Motor Park, where they clashed with members of the opposing faction.
Speaking during the inauguration, NURTW National President, Musiliu Akinsanya, popularly known as MC Oluomo, criticised the Osun State Government’s decision to suspend the union’s activities, insisting that governors lack the legal authority to do so.
Represented by the union’s Deputy National President, Aliyu Issa Ore, Akinsanya argued that the NURTW is a statutory body established by law and operates independently of state governments.
“Today, we heard that the state governor in Osun suspended the activities of our union, which they don’t have that power.
“Not any single state governor has power to suspend the activities of the union, because we are not under any state. There is an Act that established the NURTW. We have one series of decrees.”
Ore said the union had successfully challenged similar actions by state governments in court in the past.
“I know in Oyo, recently, in Lagos, in so many states, they turned the deaf ear to our pain. But that notwithstanding, the issue at stake is not that issue. What is paramount to us is to have our leadership on ground.”
He explained that the caretaker committee was constituted to provide leadership for the union in Osun ahead of the forthcoming governorship election.
According to him, the decision was also influenced by the union’s Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
“Most especially, we have MoU with INEC, of which I was in INEC yesterday, based on the directive of the president of our union. So, in view of this, we have to inaugurate the caretaker members, who are to mount the leadership of the NURTW, pending the time we resolve all issues attached to Osun.”
While announcing the composition of the committee, Ore declared that the caretaker body would immediately assume responsibility for the union’s affairs in the state.
“It is my singular honour to tell you and inform you that these are the leadership that will be leading our union activities in Osun. First, the chairman is Alhaji Kazeem Oyewale.”