Faction Seizes Control of NURTW National Secretariat in Abuja
A faction of the National Union of Road and Transport Workers (NURTW), loyal to Tajudeen Baruwa, forcibly took control of the union’s national secretariat in Abuja early Monday, escalating a long-running leadership dispute.
The incident, reported by Media Talk Africa, involved members of Baruwa’s faction entering and occupying the union’s headquarters. This physical takeover is the latest development in a factional conflict that has divided the influential transport union since 2024.
The core of the dispute stems from competing claims to the union’s presidency. In November 2024, a faction of NURTW members elected Balogun Ayinde Akinsanya, widely known as MC Oluomo, as National President. However, a rival faction challenged the election process, leading to litigation.
A court subsequently ruled in favor of Tajudeen Baruwa’s claim to the leadership. Despite this legal victory for Baruwa, MC Oluomo has continued to function as the union’s president, creating a parallel and contested command structure.
Monday’s seizure of the secretariat by the Baruwa faction appears to be an attempt to enforce the court’s judgment and assert physical control over the union’s central operations. The action directly challenges the continued exercise of authority by MC Oluomo and his supporters.
The NURTW is a major stakeholder in Nigeria’s transportation sector, representing workers in road transport, logistics, and related industries. Its internal governance instability has broader implications for industrial harmony and the organization of workers in a critical economic sector.
The situation remains tense, with the actual control of the union’s national assets and decision-making apparatus now in dispute. Observers note that the resolution will likely depend on further legal processes or potential interventions from national labour institutions. The factional standoff highlights the ongoing challenges of internal democracy and succession within some of Nigeria’s largest labour unions.
