The National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) has called on the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to resist attempts to involve them in the ongoing leadership crisis within the union.
This appeal came in response to a letter from the lawyer of Alhaji Tajudeen Baruwa, requesting the AGF and the IGP to enforce a court judgment. The NURTW alleged that the judgment was obtained by misleading the court.
Addressing journalists in Abuja on Wednesday, Comrade Uwem James, a National Officer and immediate past National Financial Secretary of the NURTW, criticized Baruwa’s move as prejudicial.
He argued that enforcing the judgment while related cases remain pending in court undermines due process.
James claimed that Baruwa’s tenure, in which he (James) served as National Financial Secretary) lapsed in August 2023, adding that Baruwa was only seeking to come back through the back door by allegedly concocting a case in which he claimed to have got a favourable judgment.
James, who gave a background to the whole leadership dispute in the union, accused the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) of wrongly taking side with Baruwa without seeking to understand the root of the dispute.
He said cases relating to the question of the union’s leadership were still pending before the National Industrial Court in Lagos and Abuja, adding that applications are still before those courts that yet to be determined.
Baruwa, in defiance of the order of injunction that parties maintain status guo ante belum and the application to restrain him pending in courts, both in Lagos and Abuja, still went ahead to declare himself President at a place in Lafia on 23rd, August 2023 despite all the suits against him.
“As at then, he showed very clear disregard for the rule of law, court order and pending litigations; and now he wants to enforce court orders in his favour, forgetting that he who comes to equity must come with clean hands.
“We are constrained to bring this matter to the public domain in order to clarify some misconceptions among members of the public due to Alh. Baruwa’s outcry of victimization.
“We know as a common order that ‘it is one who is cheated that cries to the court of public justice for redress,’ but the reverse seems to be the case here, where Alh. Baruwa is the one who had heated but seems to be crying the loudest.
“Be it noted that the two cases filed against Alhaji Tajudeen Ibikunle Baruwa are pending before the National Industrial Court cill date.
“It will therefore prejudice us and the path of justice should Alhaji Ibikunle Baruwa be assisted in any way to enforce any court judgment that we believe he fraudulently obtained by challenging the wrong parties on divergent issues, while cases bordering on his election and constitution of the union, which were first raised and filed in court by us are still pending and yet to be determined.
“Moreso, it will render our cases useless and may lead to chaos, with the possibility of breakdown of law and order in the union and society at large,” he said.
James prayed the court, where the cases are pending, particularly the one marked: NICN/UY/27/2023 between Comrade Uwem James & six others vs. NURTW, Tajudeen Baruwa & two others, “to expedite action for a speedy trial and determination of the case, which we believe, will bring a final settlement on this matter.”
