NURTW inaugurates caretaker committee for Osun chapter

The National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) has rejected the Osun State Government's suspension of its operations, asserting that Governor Ademola Adeleke does not possess the constitutional power to halt the union's activities. The national leadership of the NURTW has established a seven-member caretaker committee to oversee the union's affairs in Osun State.

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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.

This caretaker committee, chaired by Kazeem Oyewale, also known as Asiri Eniba, was inaugurated at the union's national headquarters in Abuja. The move comes days after the Osun State Government suspended NURTW activities in motor parks across the state. This suspension was a response to violent clashes between rival factions of the union, aimed at restoring order and public security.

The state government, through the Commissioner for Information, Kolapo Alimi, also suspended the collection of levies in motor parks and directed security agencies to arrest anyone impersonating union officials. The suspension followed a violent confrontation in Osogbo, where supporters of Oyewale's faction protested against the leadership of the state NURTW Chairman, Nurudeen Alowonle, leading to clashes and panic among residents.

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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.

National President of the NURTW, Musiliu Akinsanya (MC Oluomo), represented by Deputy National President Aliyu Ore, stated that no state governor has the authority to suspend the union's activities. He cited the NURTW's legal establishment and previous court victories against similar state government actions. Ore explained that the caretaker committee was necessary to ensure the union had functional leadership in Osun, especially with the upcoming governorship election and the union's agreement with the Independent National Electoral Commission for transporting election materials.

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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.