Considering the recent developments in the management of parks and suspension of NURTW in Info State,one may easily conclude that an inevitable breakdown of law and order is foreseeable if caution is thrown into the wind as regards the appointment of Comr Jacob Adebo as the Park Manager.
In the letter of protest duly signed by the union’s counsel, Akinyemi Omoware and made available to newsmen on this appointment, he noted strongly that NURTW is not a mere registered association that can be subjected to the whims and caprices of any person in government or group of persons with political powers. The activities of the association cannot be suspended without any genuine reason.
Through the letter, the union members through their counsel threatened , “Should any member of the Committee be accosted and ,or attempted to forcefully taken over the affairs of our client, same would be met with equal resistance that is both legal and legitimate.”
The union further submitted in the letter, “NURTW is a Union set up legally and captured under Trade Union Act, a federal enactment with statutory declaration.”
The union had last weekend strongly alleged that the Deputy Governor of the state, HE, Hon. Lucky Ayedatiwa, had conclude plans to impose the former Chairman of the union, Comrade Jacob Adebo popularly known as Idajo on the union.
On Sunday, the state government announced the suspension of the union, but set up a Management Committee led by Jacob Adebo (Idajo) as Park Manager to oversee the affairs of public parks in the state.
As gathered by Abejoye Media,the union said the Management Committee to be led by Idajo was a deliberate ploy to truncate justice , and called on government to refrain from wrongful exercise of political powers to truncate legitimate yarning for justice and rule of law.
The letter of protest further reads in part as follows,“It is needless to state categorically that by this illegitimate conduct of Your Excellency in totally disregarding the judicial process is by overt and necessary implication calling for the rule of might and brigandage traditionally known with NURTW.
“As a civilized people, we have amply cautioned our clients against any act of self-help, confrontation and the illegal use of might; which is unarguably the only consequence of your Excellency’s action.
“It is therefore requested of your esteemed office to restrain your Committee members from causing strife, chaos, commotion and taking steps that can lead to break down of peace, law and order in Ondo State.
“Should your office do otherwise, we shall call on the general public to hold your office, as the Acting Governor of Ondo State responsible for the untoward consequence of these atrocious actions.
“Going by the above backdrop, it is incumbent on your office, as a constitutional government, to restrain the Committee to wait for the Court determination of the pending suit to preserve the sanctity of the Court and the Constitution your Excellency sworn to uphold.
“We do hope that your Excellency, being a product of democracy, will toe the line of peace, due process,rule of law and justice in allowing the Court to do its work rather than taking steps that is subjudice and consequently portray the Court as a weak and irrelevant institution.
“We do hope that your Excellency will allow good counsel to prevail.”
Abejoye Media noted that NURTW as published in Wikipedia was established in 1978 as follows:
The National Union of Road Transport Workers is an independent Nigerian trade union that serves the interests of transport workers in the road transport sector,[1] by calling for collective obtaining and pushing for social stability for all workers in the transport sector as defined in its constitution.
The union was founded in 1978, when the government of Nigeria merged the following unions:[2]
- Amalgamated Union of Lagos Municipal Bus Workers
- Ance Transport Service Workers' Union
- Arab Trans Workers' Union
- Benson Transport Workers' Union
- Cross River State Transport and Allied Workers' Union
- H. Safieddine Transport Limited Workers' Union
- Hope Rising Drivers' Union
- Ikot Ekpene Divisional Transport Workers' Union
- Jam Iyyan Alhin Diraibobiw Arewa Northern Transport Workers' Union
- Mid-West Line and Armels Transport Workers' Union
- M/S Fawaz (Nigeria) Limited and Allied Workers' Union
- Rivers State Transport Corporation and Allied Workers' Union
- Tractors Drivers' Union
- Trans Continental (Nigeria) Ltd. Workers' Union
The union affiliated to the Nigeria Labour Congress. By 1988, it had 30,000 members, and by 2005, this had grown to 96,000.[3]
The union raises fund through several methods, but the largest of these is through support and willful contribution of union funds. The core functions of the union is to protect the rights of workers in the transport sector. Entry into the union is voluntary, however the dues collected are used to run functions in the union and support members. The youth department under the women league ensure youth programs to educate and sensitise members on good service delivery and customer relation.
The union has been known for controversial practices including corruption, extortion, and nepotism, exposed by the American-British journalist Louis Theroux in his 2010 documentary film.
