The national leadership of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) has rejected the suspension of the union’s activities in Osun State by Governor Ademola Adeleke, insisting that no state governor has the legal power to suspend the operations of the union.
The union also announced the inauguration of a seven-member caretaker committee to oversee its affairs in Osun State, saying the move was necessary to restore leadership and ensure the smooth running of its activities.
The committee, headed by Mr. Kazeem Oyewale, popularly known as Asiri Eniba, was inaugurated on Friday at the NURTW national headquarters in the Garki area of Abuja.
The decision comes days after the Osun State Government suspended the activities of the union across motor parks in the state following violent clashes between rival factions of the NURTW.
Governor Adeleke, through the state Commissioner for Information, Kolapo Alimi, announced the suspension as part of efforts to restore peace and strengthen public security after unrest broke out in several motor parks.
The state government also ordered the suspension of the collection of levies in all parks and directed security agencies to arrest anyone parading himself as an official or executive of the NURTW in any motor park across the state.
The government said the action became necessary to prevent further violence and protect residents after the clashes created panic in parts of Osogbo and other areas.
The crisis erupted when a faction of the union led by Kazeem Oyewale staged a protest against the leadership of the Osun State NURTW Chairman, Nurudeen Alowonle.
According to reports, the protesters, accompanied by police officers, moved through major roads in Osogbo before arriving at the Old Garage Motor Park, where they met supporters of Alowonle.
The encounter soon turned violent as members of both factions clashed, forcing residents and commuters to flee the area for safety.
The incident renewed concerns over the long-running leadership crisis within the NURTW in Osun State, which has witnessed repeated disputes between rival groups over the control of motor parks and union structures.
Reacting to the state government’s action, NURTW National President, Musiliu Akinsanya, popularly known as MC Oluomo, said the suspension had no legal basis.
Speaking through the union’s Deputy National President, Aliyu Issa Ore, shortly before the inauguration of the caretaker committee, Akinsanya maintained that the NURTW is a national labour union established under Nigerian law and cannot be suspended by any state government.
He said the union had successfully challenged similar actions by state governments in court in the past.
“I have the mandate of the President to address you today as the leader of the NURTW in Nigeria,” Ore said.
He explained that the national leadership had made several attempts to engage the existing leadership of the union in Osun State but received no response.
“It would be recalled that in the last few months in Osun State, we lacked leadership of our union in Osun.
“Despite calling and sending a series of letters to invite our leadership in Osun, which they failed to honour, we heard that they are on the run.
“We could not leave the activities of the union without having the leader on the ground.”
Ore also faulted Governor Adeleke’s decision to suspend the union’s operations.
“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 a series of decrees.
“I know in Oyo, recently, in Lagos and in so many states, they turned a deaf ear to our pain. But that notwithstanding, what is paramount to us is to have our leadership on ground,” he said.
The deputy national president said the inauguration of the caretaker committee became necessary to provide leadership for members in the state while efforts continue to resolve the internal crisis.
According to him, the timing is particularly important because of preparations for the forthcoming governorship election in Osun State.
Ore disclosed that the union has an existing Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), making it important for the NURTW to have a recognised leadership structure in the state.
He said he had met with INEC officials on the directive of the national president before the inauguration of the committee.
“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.”
He then formally announced Kazeem Oyewale as chairman of the caretaker committee that will oversee the union’s activities in Osun State until a permanent leadership is put in place.
The latest development is expected to deepen the disagreement between the Osun State Government and the national leadership of the NURTW over who has the authority to regulate the union’s activities within the state.
The NURTW has, over the years, remained one of Nigeria’s most influential transport unions, with members operating commercial buses, taxis and other public transport services across the country. Apart from managing motor parks, the union plays a key role in coordinating transport activities and collecting park-related dues in many states.
However, leadership disputes within the union have frequently resulted in violent clashes, particularly where rival factions compete for control of motor parks and revenue collection. Such crises have often disrupted transport services and raised concerns over public safety.
Successive state governments have at different times intervened by dissolving park management systems, suspending union activities or introducing alternative arrangements in an effort to restore order. These actions have often sparked legal and political disputes, with the NURTW insisting that, as a nationally registered trade union, its existence and operations are protected by law.
For now, while the Osun State Government insists its suspension order remains in force to maintain peace and security, the national leadership of the NURTW has moved ahead with installing a caretaker committee, setting the stage for what could become another legal and political battle over the control of motor park operations in the state.