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🇳🇬 Nigeria /Crime & Justice

NURTW tackles Adeleke as Osun rejects caretaker committee

From The Punch · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Nigeria's National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) rejected the Osun State Government's suspension of its activities, stating the governor lacks the authority to halt operations.
  • The union inaugurated a caretaker committee to oversee its affairs in Osun, chaired by Kazeem Oyewale, who faces murder charges from the state government.
  • The Osun government insisted NURTW activities remain suspended and will not recognize the caretaker committee, escalating a leadership dispute.

The national leadership of Nigeria's National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) has rejected the Osun State Government's suspension of union activities, asserting that Governor Ademola Adeleke overstepped his constitutional authority. The union has established a seven-member caretaker committee to manage its affairs in Osun, pending the resolution of internal leadership conflicts.

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.

— Aliyu OreThe Deputy National President of NURTW explaining the union's stance on the Osun State government's suspension of its activities.

The Osun government, however, maintains its suspension of NURTW operations and refuses to acknowledge the newly formed caretaker committee. This move by the state government follows a violent confrontation in Osogbo, where supporters of the caretaker committee chairman, Kazeem Oyewale, clashed with those of the state NURTW Chairman, Nurudeen Alowonle, who is an Adeleke supporter.

NURTW President Musiliu Akinsanya, known as MC Oluomo, stated through his deputy, Aliyu Ore, that no state governor has the power to suspend the union, which is established by law. Ore emphasized the necessity of the caretaker committee to ensure functional leadership, especially with the upcoming governorship election and the union's role in transporting electoral materials under an agreement with the Independent National Electoral Commission.

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.

— Aliyu OreThe Deputy National President of NURTW explaining the rationale behind inaugurating a caretaker committee.

Oyewale, upon accepting the chairmanship of the caretaker committee, pledged to elevate the union's operations and administer it according to the union's constitution and the Nigerian constitution. The dispute highlights a significant power struggle between the national transport union and the state government over control of the union's operations in Osun.

I love you as a brother; that’s why I’m telling you the truth. Watch your circle. Anybody who exhibits any form of disrespect, discard that person. You are one of the greatest to ever do it. Carry yourself with pride.

— RadiogadRadiogad advising Davido on managing his public image and associations.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by The Punch. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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