The Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, has officially declared Alhaji Tajudeen Ibikunle Baruwa as the legitimate President of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW).
This ruling upheld the judgment delivered by the National Industrial Court on March 11, 2024, in Suit No. NICN/ABJ/263/2023, which had previously recognised Baruwa as the president of the union.
The Court of Appeal also dismissed an appeal filed by Alhaji Najeem Usman Yasin, Alhaji Tajudeen Agbede, and others who had challenged the decision of the Industrial Court.
The court ruled that the appeal lacked merit and therefore upheld Baruwa’s leadership, affirming him as the duly elected President of NURTW.
The three-member panel of Justices, Hamma Akawu Barka, Nnamdi Dimgba, and Asmau Ojuolape Akanbi, ruled in favour of Baruwa, stating that the appeal against his leadership was unfounded.
The court also awarded a sum of N100,000 against the appellants—loyalists of MC Oluomo—as costs, in favour of the respondents.
In response to the ruling, Baruwa held a press conference where he expressed his stance on the ongoing leadership dispute within the union.
“This appeal is devoid of merit, and the same is hereby dismissed,” the judge ruled.
“I affirm the judgment of the trial court delivered on the 11th day of March 2024 in respect of Suit No. NICN/ABJ/263/2023.
“I award the cost of N100,000 against the appellant and in favour of the respondents.”
The judgment means that the election of MC Oluomo as president of the union has been nullified.
He described the inauguration of MC Oluomo’s faction as “not only laughable, but also an affront on the judiciary,” noting that it violated the March 11 and November 8, 2024, judgments of both the National Industrial Court and the Court of Appeal.
These judgments had already restrained the Yasin-led faction from interfering in the activities of the union and the day-to-day administration under Baruwa’s leadership.
Baruwa emphasized that NURTW is “a creation of the law with an approved constitution that stipulates the guidelines for elections into offices.”
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He stressed that the legal framework governing the union had been upheld by the courts, and any actions outside this framework would not be recognised.
The Court of Appeal’s decision is seen as a significant victory for Baruwa and his leadership faction, which has faced continuous challenges from rival groups within the union. The ruling further solidifies his authority over the union’s administration moving forward.
