Crisis looms in Lagos NURTW, Oluomo, national president on collision course

By Lukman Olabiyi

Crisis is currently brewing in the Lagos State chapter of National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), over the face up between the union’s state chairman, Musiliu Akinsanya, known as MC Oluomo, and its National President, Alhaji Tajudeen Baruwa.

The crisis had made some members of the union to call on the State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, for his timely intervention, in order to avert a clash among them.

The loggerheads between the duo had factionalised the union in the state; while a faction is for MC Oluomo, another is loyal to the national president, Baruwa.

The factionalisation of the union in the state had resulted in the issuing of counter directives by the two union leaders to their members in Lagos.

Some members of the union loyal to the national president, Baruwa, were accusing the state chairman, Mc Oluomo, of allegedly stopping the purchase of tickets from the NURTW and that he had mandated members to collect dues and remit directly to him.

They alleged that the state chairman of the union allegedly  forced branch chairmen to sign an undertaking declaring their support for him, and whatever decision he made they should abide by it as against the national body.

Speaking to the newsmen on the brewing crisis, the Ikeja branch chairman of the union, Kunle Anifowoshe, said that the directives from MC Oluomo came as a surprise to them, and that they did not understand the motive behind the sudden actions.

Anifowoshe disclosed that the directives were announced during an emergency meeting that was conveyed by the chairman at the state secretariat in Agege, where they were made to sign an undertaking to be loyal and abide by MC Oluomo’s dictates.

The Ikeja branch chairman claimed that he did not sign Mc Oluomo’s documents and pledged his loyalty to the national body under the leadership of Baruwa.

However, in a viral video on social media, yesterday, Mc Oluomo and some members loyal to him were seen staging a rally at an unknown location, warning the national president not to destroy the union in Lagos.

(Continued on www.sunnewsonline)

Mc Oluomo’s loyalists were displaying different placards, with different inscriptions, saying Baruwa should leave Lagos NURTW alone.