Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has called on the Nigeria Police Force to order police operatives to immediately vacate the secretariat of National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in Abuja within 48 hours. NLC disclosed this on Monday in a communiqué at the end of an emergency National Administrative Council (NAC) meeting. The crisis in NURTW had deepened on Sunday, following the emergence of a caretaker committee chaired by Tajudeen Agbede. The committee also announced the dissolution of the Tajudeen Baruwa-led executive, citing tenure expiration.
Following the NAC emergency meeting, yesterday, NLC also asked President Bola Tinubu to clear his name over allegations that he is complicit in the crisis rocking the transport union.
In the communiqué signed by NLC President, Joe Ajaero, and General Secretary, Emmanuel Ugboaja, the union threatened it would muster all its affiliates for a showdown in support of what it said is the legally elected NURTW leadership.
It accused the Nigeria Police Force of interfering in the internal affairs of NURTW and other unions, stressing that the police have usurped powers of arbitration in disputes, contrary to the dictates of statutes governing industrial relations.
It alleged that the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, acquiesced to invasion of the NURTW national secretariat to unseat the elected leadership and install a stooge.
It affirmed legality of the Baruwa-led leadership, cautioning that moves to upturn governance of the transport union could lead to violence.
