The ambition and aspiration of Alhaji Tajudeen Ibikunle Baruwa to secure a second term of four years as president of the National Union of Roads Transport Workers (NURTW) has suffered a major setback as an Industrial Court sitting in Lagos adjourned a case challenging his eligibility for second term till November 29, 2023.

The National Vice President of the union (Southwest), Alhaji Tajudeen Agbede and six other members of the union from Southwest states (Oyo,Ogun,Ondo, Osun, Lagos and Ekiti states) are challenging the eligibility of Baruwa to go for second term following the fact that union activities are virtually absent in Southwest states.

Similarly, an Industrial court in Abuja had last Tuesday adjourned a case also challenging the eligibility of Baruwa for second till October.

With the two cases adjourned, it implies that the union will not be able to hold its delegate conference earlier slated for August as doing anything contrary will be tantamount to a contempt of court.

Baruwa and his executive were inaugurated on August 29, 2019 for a term of four years. Constitutionally his tenure will expire on August 28 2023.

The union under his leadership has been facing a series of problems, especially in the Southwest where nearly all the state councils have been banned by state governments and replaced by state government owned parks and garages committees.

This has pushed thousands of union members into joblessness. This situation forced some elders of the union under the umbrella of NURTW Southwest Elders’ Forum to reject his ambition for second term and instead endorsed a former Lagos State Chairman of the union, Alhaji Tajudeen Agbede, as the sole candidate of the zone for NURTW presidency. (Nigerian Tribune)

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