Ahead of the election into the national offices of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, delegates of the group from the South-West region have declared their support for the incumbent National President, Mr Tajudeen Baruwa.
Rising from a meeting held in Osogbo, Osun State, the Caretaker Chairmen of the Union across the six South-West states pledged support for Baruwa, citing his exceptional leadership qualities.
A statement issued by the NURTW leaders from the zone obtained in Osogbo on Wednesday was signed by Mr Olalekan Folorunsho, the Zonal Chairman of the union.
Other signatories to the statement include Abideen Olajide (Oyo State Chairman), Joseph Falope (Ekiti State Chairman), Rauf Fakorede (Osun State Chairman), Fatai Adesina ((Lagos State Chairman), Oluwatoyin Olaoye (Ondo State Chairman) and Ismail Mustapha (Ogun State Chairman).
The union leaders accused a past president and some other national officers of the group of working towards destabilising the union and causing unrest in the Ogun, Lagos, and Oyo chapters. They expressed hope that the NURTW would be reinstated into public transport operations in those states where they have been proscribed.
While praising the national president of the union, the South-West Zonal NURTW leaders further said, “He (Baruwa) did not sell out the union because of money. He is the person that has made the union to be existing at the national level. He was bribed but he turned down the offer.
“The meeting held today resolved that the authentic delegates from the South-West zone, who are duly recognised by the national headquarters, do affirm our loyalty to the present administration led by Baruwa.
“We thank the national headquarters under the leadership of Baruwa for standing by our zone despite the travails we are going through at the moment. We are also supporting Baruwa for a second term as the President of the NURTW.”
