Focus Keyphrase: NURTW leadership crisis
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has recorded a significant breakthrough in efforts to resolve the prolonged NURTW leadership crisis, with rival factions of the National Union of Road Transport Workers agreeing to halt hostilities and continue dialogue toward restoring unity.
The development followed a closed-door peace and reconciliation meeting convened by NLC President Joe Ajaero at the Labour House in Abuja.
Sources familiar with the discussions said representatives of the opposing camps reached a mutual understanding to pursue peaceful engagement and work toward ending the long-running dispute that has divided the transport union. According to insiders, the NLC urged both sides to place the interests of the union above personal ambitions and factional interests, stressing that genuine reconciliation remains the only path to lasting stability.
The mediation process reportedly recorded a major milestone after both camps assured the labour leadership of their readiness to embrace dialogue and rebuild trust within the organisation. As part of the agreement, the rival groups pledged to participate in future reconciliation meetings without imposing preconditions and committed to implementing resolutions reached through the dialogue process.
Labour sources described the outcome as one of the most important achievements since the NURTW leadership crisis began, expressing optimism that the renewed commitment could pave the way for sustainable peace within the union. The NLC is expected to continue facilitating additional meetings aimed at resolving outstanding issues and strengthening the institutional unity of the transport workers’ organisation.
A source close to the mediation said the discussions were candid and constructive, adding that the willingness of both parties to remain at the negotiating table had significantly raised hopes of a permanent settlement.
“There is now a shared commitment to dialogue. Both parties have agreed that the reconciliation process should continue without conditions, and there is optimism that this marks the beginning of a new chapter for the union,” the source said.
If sustained, the latest breakthrough is expected to reduce tensions within the union and restore stability to one of Nigeria’s largest and most influential labour organisations, whose activities play a critical role in the country’s road transport sector.
The NURTW leadership crisis dates back to 2022 following disputes over the union’s national leadership after Tajudeen Baruwa emerged as National President during the union’s national delegates’ conference.
His emergence was challenged by a rival faction led by Musiliu Akinsanya, popularly known as MC Oluomo, who also laid claim to the leadership of the union.
The competing claims resulted in parallel leadership structures and prolonged legal battles, creating uncertainty over the union’s administration and weakening internal cohesion.
The crisis prompted repeated interventions by the Nigeria Labour Congress, the umbrella body for trade unions in Nigeria, which consistently encouraged both factions to resolve their differences through dialogue in line with labour movement traditions.
In recent months, the NLC intensified its reconciliation efforts through a series of engagements designed to build consensus between the rival camps. The latest Abuja meeting is widely regarded as the most significant intervention so far, with both sides reportedly expressing a renewed commitment to achieving a lasting resolution.
