The Court of Appeal in Abuja has upheld the judgment rendered on March 11 by the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN), which recognized Tajudeen Ibikunle Baruwa as the legitimate president of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW).
In a ruling delivered on November 8, the appellate court dismissed an appeal filed by seven individuals, led by Alhaji Najeem Usman Yasin, challenging the NICN’s decision. A three-member panel, presided over by Justice Hamma Barka, determined that the appeal was without merit and imposed a cost of N100,000 against the appellants in favor of the 14 respondents.
The appellants in this case comprised Alhaji Yasin, Alhaji Tajudeen Agbede, Alhaji Aliyu Ore, Kayode Agbeyangi, Alhaji Alhassan Haruna, Aliyu Tanimu, and Alhaji Hakeem Adeosun, while the respondents included Baruwa and other notable figures from the NURTW.
Justice Asmau Akanbi, who delivered the lead judgment, highlighted that the case revolved around the legality of the National Caretaker Committee established by the appellants. She remarked that the appellants had not contested the constitutionality of this committee, and the trial court’s decision was founded on the robustness of the respondents’ case.
Justice Akanbi further specified that the appellants did not establish any infringement of their right to a fair hearing, concluding that all issues presented in the appeal had been resolved in favor of the respondents.
This ruling effectively confirms the validity of the March judgment, which sanctioned Baruwa’s re-election for a second term as NURTW president. The NICN's earlier decision also disbanded the Alhaji Agbede-led Caretaker Committee and prohibited Alhaji Yasin from disrupting the union’s daily operations. The appeal was therefore dismissed, with a cost of N100,000 awarded against the appellants.
This judgment follows a succession of legal disputes concerning the leadership of the NURTW, with the Court of Appeal’s ruling affirming Tajudeen Ibikunle Baruwa’s presidency and reinforcing the legal legitimacy of the union's internal election processes.