- Throws support for Tajudeen Agbede for NURTW National President
By News Editor
Leaders of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in the South-West have warned outgoing president of the union, Alhaji Tajudeen Baruwa, to stop causing confusion and divisions among members of the union in the country.
Chairman of the South-West NURTW Elders’ Forum, Pa Samuel Jonah, stated this on Saturday.
He was reacting to a reported solidarity visit by some retirees of the union from three northern zones (North West, North East and North Central) to Baruwa.
A statement by the forum said Baruwa was represented at the meeting by his Special Assistant on Labour and Industrial Relations, Comrade Abuul Boga.
He was said to have boasted that the five zonal councils would go ahead and install Baruwa on the union for a second term without the S’West involvement.
But Pa Jonah said, “We, members of the union in South-West, reject this position. It is a sign of arrogance on the part of Baruwa to have uttered that statement. “South-West is part of Nigeria and no one cannot write the history of NURTW without making strong reference to South-West.
“NURTW was formed in the South-West before spreading to other zones; so it will be unreasonable for anyone to think of removing the South-West from the union. It is impossible.”
“Again, we would like to remind him that when it was the turn of the South-West to produce candidate for NURTW presidency, we all supported and endorsed him in 2019 to represent us at the national headquarters.
“As of that time, all the six states councils in the zone were functioning and operating. But as of today, all the councils have been taken over by various state governments due to uncooperative and arrogant attitude of Baruwa.”
Pa Samuel Jonah appealed to all leaders and members of the union in other five zones of the union to bring back the union.
“Baruwa has really destroyed our union in the South-West and we regretted supporting him in 2019,” he said.
Pa Jonah also accused Baruwa of using the union’s name to borrow money from banks and other financial institutions to run the union, warning that it could cause serious financial problems for the union.
He said, “And because revenue is not coming from South-West again, he has been using the NURTW to borrow money.
“As leaders from the zone, we can assure you that if Baruwa is removed today all the state councils in South West will return to the NURTW.
“We leaders and members of the union in the South-West after serious consideration have endorsed Alhaji Tajudeen Agbede as our candidate to represent us at the national level. Baruwa can no longer represent us.”
