The Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has faulted Governor Ademola Adeleke’s decision to suspend all activities of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) across the state, describing the directive as unlawful and beyond the governor’s constitutional powers.
In a statement issued on Thursday by its Director of Media and Information, Kola Olabisi, the opposition party argued that the governor lacked the legal authority to halt the operations of a registered union or direct security agencies to arrest individuals claiming to be NURTW officials.
The governor’s directive followed a security meeting where he instructed the police and other security agencies to immediately stop all NURTW activities in Osun State and apprehend anyone presenting themselves as executives or officials of the union at motor parks.
The order came shortly before the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Osun State chapter, which is aligned with the APC, announced the establishment of caretaker management committees to oversee transport unions. The move was aimed at restoring order after a leadership crisis within the NURTW.
According to the APC, the recent crisis within the union had already prompted local government authorities to suspend the activities of the union’s leadership while consultations with the national leadership were ongoing.
The party said the chairmen of the 30 local government councils, alongside the Ife-East Area Office, Modakeke, had earlier met with transport unions, including motorcycle and tricycle operators, and agreed to set up caretaker committees pending the emergence of substantive state executives.
The APC further accused Governor Adeleke of interfering in the internal affairs of a legally recognised association and questioned the legal advice guiding the state government’s actions.
According to the party, the governor’s directive violates Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution, which guarantees citizens the right to freedom of association.
It maintained that suspending the activities of a duly registered union through an executive directive amounts to an abuse of power and exceeds the governor’s constitutional authority.
The opposition party also expressed confidence that security agencies would not enforce what it described as an unlawful order, insisting that disputes involving the union should be settled through the courts rather than executive action.
To support its position, the APC cited a Court of Appeal judgment involving the Oyo State Government and the NURTW, in which the appellate court reportedly ruled that Governor Seyi Makinde’s 2019 suspension of the union’s activities was unconstitutional.
According to the party, the judgment affirmed that while state governments are responsible for maintaining law and order, such powers must be exercised within the confines of the law and do not extend to suspending the operations of a registered association without legal backing.
The APC also noted that the court held that allegations of violence alone were insufficient grounds for suspending the union, stressing that any criminal acts should instead be addressed by security agencies and through the judicial process.
The party urged Governor Adeleke to immediately withdraw the directive, insisting that it is unconstitutional, legally untenable and unlikely to survive judicial review if challenged in court.
BACKSTORY:
The controversy stems from a leadership crisis within the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in Osun State, which has sparked tensions over the control of motor parks and the union’s operations. The dispute prompted concerns about public order, leading to interventions by both the state government and local government authorities.
Following a security meeting, Governor Ademola Adeleke directed the police and other security agencies to suspend all NURTW activities across the state and arrest anyone presenting themselves as officials of the union. The governor said the measure was aimed at preventing a breakdown of law and order while efforts were made to address the crisis.
Shortly afterward, the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Osun State chapter, announced the formation of caretaker management committees to oversee transport union activities pending the resolution of the leadership dispute.
The directive has since drawn criticism from the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC), which argues that the governor lacks the constitutional authority to suspend the activities of a legally registered association. The party also cited a previous Court of Appeal judgment involving the Oyo State Government and the NURTW, maintaining that disputes involving registered unions should be resolved through lawful judicial processes rather than executive directives.
