Musiliu Akinsanya, widely known as MC Oluomo and national president of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), has faulted the decision of Osun State governor, Ademola Adeleke, to suspend the union’s activities in the state, insisting that such action is unconstitutional.
The governor had on Thursday ordered the immediate halt of all NURTW operations across motor parks in Osun. The directive was announced by the commissioner for information and public enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, who said it followed a security council meeting chaired by the governor.
Alimi explained that the move was based on security concerns and added that the governor also instructed the police to stop the collection of levies by the union in motor parks statewide. He further noted that security agencies had been directed to arrest anyone posing as a union official or executive.
Responding to the development at a press conference held at the NURTW national headquarters in Abuja on Friday, Akinsanya maintained that no state government has the authority to suspend the union’s operations.
According to Punch Newspaper, Akinsanya—represented by the union’s deputy national president, Aliyu Ore—argued that the NURTW is a legally established body and has previously won court cases against similar actions by state governments.
“Today, we heard that the state governor in Osun suspended the activities of our union, which they don’t have the power to do,” Akinsanya said.
“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.”
He added that the union has recently lacked clear leadership in Osun due to a prolonged internal crisis.
Akinsanya also disclosed that, following a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the union’s national leadership has resolved to set up a caretaker committee to manage its affairs in the state ahead of the August 15 governorship election.
“We have MoU with INEC. 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.
He announced that the caretaker committee would be led by Kazeem Oyewale as chairman, with Sunday Oludare as secretary and Lukman Ahmed as treasurer. Other members include Ismaila Abdurahim, Adebayo Tajudin, Tajudin Akin, and Ayinde Mutiu.
Akinsanya said the committee would oversee the union’s activities in Osun until the ongoing leadership dispute is resolved.
