Lagos chapter of NURTW gives national body seven says to lift the suspension of MC Oluomo

NIGERIA'S National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) is posed for an almighty showdown after the Lagos State Council Group of Elders of the union have the national body seven days to withdraw the suspension of its chairman Musiliu Akinsanya.

Mr Akinsanya, popularly known as MC Oluomo, was suspended by the national body of the union last Thursday following weeks of protracted conflict and a leadership tussle. The national body had accused Mr Akinsanya of resorting to intimidation, harassment and assault on the newly-appointed chairman of the Tricycle Owners and Operators Association of Nigeria, Azeez Abiola, aka Istijabah.

Subsequently, the NURTW national body in Abuja announced the indefinite suspension of Me Akinsanya for gross misconduct and directed him to hand over to his deputy. Hours later, Mr Akinsanya announced later at a press conference at the NURTW secretariat in the Agege area of the Lagos, that he and his lieutenants were withdrawing from the national body of the union.

He had also asked Governor Babajide Sanwoolu to take over the running of all parks and garages in Lagos State till peace returned to the union. Later, Governor Sanwoolu suspended the activities of NURTW from all parks and garages with immediate effect and set up a committee to immediately take control of the parks and garages.

With the dispute showing no sign of ending, the Lagos Stare elders issued the ultimatum to the national body of the union in a letter dated March 14, 2022. They also asked the national body of the union to withdraw a letter appointing another chairman for the Lagos State Chapter of the Tricycle Owners and Operators Association of Nigeria.

Their letter was titled Resolutions of Lagos State Council of NURTW Elders’ Forum on the current crisis in the union. It was co-signed by Samuel Jonah, Alao Adewuyi, Alamu Otegbeye, Bola Lemboye and Stephen Falusi.

This letter read: “Following the recent crisis rocking the union in the state, the elders of the union met and resolved as follows. In order to close the tension, the national headquarters should withdraw the controversial letter of appointment of another chairman for Keke Maruwa Tricycles as there cannot be two state chairman in one state council and there is no such provisions in the union constitution.

“Revoke the suspension letter of the state chairman which we view as unwarranted at this period in the history of our union. Finally, we expect the withdrawal of these two letters within seven days to enable us conclude the settlement of the crisis once and for all.”

At the moment, the matter of the legality of the  Tricycle Owners and Operators Association of Nigeria is being challenged in court by the NUTRW. In a case before the National Industrial Court, the NURTW is claiming it cannot exist as a separate union.