By our Reporter
The National leadership of the National Union of Road Transport Workers,(NURTW) on Friday rejected the Osun State Government’s suspension of the union’s activities.
The union insisted that the state governor, Ademola Adeleke, lacks the constitutional powers to halt its operations.
The union also inaugurated a seven-member caretaker committee to oversee its affairs in the state pending the resolution of the leadership crisis rocking the state chapter.
The committee, chaired by Kazeem Oyewale, popularly known as Asiri Eniba, was inaugurated at the union’s national headquarters in Garki, Abuja.
The development comes days after the state government suspended the activities of the NURTW in motor parks across the state following violent clashes between rival factions of the union.
The state government, through the Commissioner for Information, Kolapo Alimi, announced the suspension as part of efforts to restore order and strengthen public security.
It also suspended the collection of levies in motor parks and directed security agencies to arrest anyone parading as an official or executive of the union
The suspension followed a violent confrontation in Osogbo after supporters of a faction led by Oyewale staged a protest against the leadership of the state NURTW Chairman, Nurudeen Alowonle.
The protest later degenerated into clashes, with gunshots causing panic among residents.
The protest later degenerated into clashes, with gunshots causing panic among residents.
Reacting to the suspension, the National President of the NURTW, Musiliu Akinsanya, popularly known as MC Oluomo, said no state government has the authority to suspend the activities of the union.
Represented by the union’s Deputy National President, Aliyu Ore, Akinsanya said the union was established by law and had previously secured court victories against similar actions by state governments.
“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 they are on the run.
“We could not leave the activities of the union without having leadership on the ground. Today, we heard that the state governor in Osun suspended the activities of our union, which they don’t have the power to do.
“Not any single state governor has the power to suspend the activities of the union because we are not under any state. There is an Act that established the NURTW,” Ore said.
He said the inauguration of the caretaker committee became necessary to ensure the union had a functional leadership in Osun, particularly ahead of the forthcoming governorship election.
According to him, the union has a Memorandum of Understanding with the Independent National Electoral Commission for the transportation of election materials.
“Most especially, we have MoU with INEC. I was at INEC yesterday based on the directive of the president of our union. 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 said.
The newly inaugurated committee comprises Kazeem Oyewale as chairman, Sunday Oludare as secretary, Lukman Ahmed as treasurer, while Ismaila Abdurahim, Adebayo Tajudin, Tajudin Akin and Ayinde Mutiu will serve as members.
Ore said the caretaker committee would oversee the affairs of the union in Osun until the leadership dispute is resolved.
In his acceptance speech, Oyewale promised to take the union to new heights, adding that under him there would be a turnaround in the administration of the union, adding that he would uphold the Constitution of the country and the union.
