Baruwa: Nothing justifies Najeem/Agbede-led group parading as legitimate leaders of NURTW

Tajudeen Ibikunle Baruwa, president of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), has again declared the Najeem Yasin and Tajudeen Agbede led group as illegal and unconstitutional.

He spoke Thursday in Abuja at a validity meeting in honour of Anthony Chikudi Asogwa’s retirement as secretary-general of the union.

Asogwa, who retired after 41 years of service, handed over to Suleiman Abdulkadir Musa in acting capacity.

Baruwa said the union had in line with the provisions of the constitution of the union Article 8, section 2 (1 ) conducted its 10th Quadrennial National Delegate Conference August 23, 2023 at Lafia, Nasarawa state, and national officers were duly sworn in and inaugurated.

He recalled that the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) had an agreement with the federal government to resolve the union’s issues on or before 13th October, 2023.

“You may recall that the NLC had an agreement with the federal government and promised to resolve our matter on or before 13th October, 2023 and the federal ministry of labour invited us on 12th October 2023, for a meeting but due to the thuggery nature of Usman Yasin and Agbede group,” he said.

“The meeting could not hold and the failure to comply with the directive of the minister of labour to stop further day to day activities of the union by their group.

“The ministry failure to take step to enforce its directive made us to believe that the minister has been compromised and our believe was vindicated by their meeting of Wednesday 18th October, 2023 with the minister and that of their so call conference of 25th October, 2023 clearly prove that the minister has taken side and what so ever they try to show that the minister or any agents of Government is with them cannot deny that they use brute force to break into the National Secretariat of the Union, so also nothing can justify them parading as legitimate leaders of the union NURTW.

“Therefore, we are calling on all members, relevant authorities and members of the general public to disregard the dissident group and whatsoever they represent.”