The election that brought a political loyalist of President Bola Tinubu, Musiliu Akinsanya, popularly known as MC Oluomo to emerge the National President of National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) is invalid, SaharaReporters has learnt.
This is because the Court of Appeal in Abuja already affirmed Tajudeen Baruwa as the re-elected NURTW president, according to a court document seen by SaharaReporters.
On Saturday, it was reported that MC Oluomo had been elected as the president of NURTW after being the only candidate to run for the position.
He had secured unanimous votes from all of the delegates in the Union's Quadrennial Delegate Conference for Zone 2 Council of the Union, which was held in Osogbo, the capital of Osun State.
Meanwhile, the appellate court in a unanimous judgement delivered on Friday, November 8, affirmed the March 11, 2024 ruling of the National Industrial Court, Abuja, affirming the re-election of Tajudeen Baruwa as the National President of the NURTW
The ruling was delivered by the trio of Justice Hamma Akawu Barka, Justice Nnamdi Okwy Dimgba and Justice Asmau Ojuolape Akanbi.
In the Appeal numbered CA/ABJ/CV/293/2024 between Alh. Najeem Usman Yasin, Alh. Tajudeen Badru Agbede, Alh. Aliyu Isa Ore, Kayode Agbeyangi, Alh. Alhasan Haruna 313, Aliyu Tanimu, Alh. Hakeem Adeosun as 1st to 7th Appellants and Tajudeen Ibikunle Baruwa, Bello Adamu, Eugene Eze Job, Danjuma Saidu, Prince Isah Dahiru Uman, Suleiman Adamu, Odion Olaye J.P and Chief Herbert C. Iwuji as the 1st to 8th Respondents, the three Appeal Court judges dismissed the Appellants appeal and awarded a cost of N100,000 against them.
The enrolled order of the judgement obtained by SaharaReporters on Friday evening, shows it was signed by Deputy Chief Registrar, Judith M. Jabbe, and read by Justice Hamma Akawu Barka.
The Appeal Court declared that "this Appeal is devoid of merit and the same is hereby dismissed".
The judgement reads, "This is an appeal against the judgment/decision of the National Industrial Court Sitting in Abuja, in Suit No. NICN/ABJ/263/2023 delivered on the 11th March, 2024 by Justice O. O. Oyewumi.
"Upon Reading the Record of Appeal compiled and transmitted before this court together with the respective briefs of argument;
"And After Hearing, O. I. Olorundare, SAN with F.T Sotikare, esq) Jimoh Balogun, Esq O. D. Emole, Esq I. Yunanah Esq) for the Appellants.
"Tolu Babaleye Esq with Adeniyi Adejoke Esq, Maku Oluwatoyin Esq, B. T Ataine Esq for the Respondents; it is hereby ordered that:
"This Appeal is devoid of merit and the same is hereby dismissed.
"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," it adds.
The National Industrial Court in its judgement on Monday, March 11, 2024, sacked the Tajudeen Agbede-led Caretaker Committee of the NURTW.
While delivering her judgment on the leadership crisis rocking the union, Justice O. O. Oyewumi held that the delegates’ conference across the six zonal councils held on May 24, 2023, where Baruwa emerged as President for a second term in office was valid.
The presiding judge also restrained the former President of the Union, Najeem Yasin, who was the Board of Trustees chairman, from interfering in the day-to-day running of union affairs.
She held that Najeem could only act as chairman of the board.
The court also validated the Quadrennial National Delegates Conference held on August 23, 2023, at Ta’al Hotels in Lafia, Nasarawa State where the president and other national officers were inaugurated.
Oyewumi declared illegal, null, and unconstitutional the national delegates’ conference held on October 25, 2023, where the then Acting President, Isa Ore, and his National Administrative Council were said to have emerged.
According to the judge, there was no evidence of a crisis in the union.
Consequently, she held that there was no basis for the invocation of the ‘doctrine of necessity’ that led to the constitution of the caretaker committee.
“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,” the judge ruled.
The election that took place on November 9, 2024, which saw MC Oluomo emerge as the National President of the NURTW, is, therefore, null and void. Notably, the election was overseen by Aliyu Issa-Ore, the acting National President, whose own election was nullified by the National Industrial Court in March 2023. The Appeal Court has upheld this verdict.
This means that the election that brought MC Oluomo to power is not legitimate, considering the Appeal Court's judgment.
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