Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The national leadership of the National Union of Road Transport Workers has openly defied Governor Ademola Adeleke's order suspending its activities in Osun State, insisting that no state governor possesses the constitutional or legal authority to shut down the operations of the nationally recognised transport union. The confrontation, which began as a violent struggle for the control of motor parks in Osogbo, has now escalated into a full-blown face-off between the Osun State Government and the national leadership of the union, with both sides asserting authority over the running of NURTW affairs in the state.
Speaking at the inauguration of a seven-member caretaker committee for Osun State at the union's national headquarters in Garki, Abuja, on Friday, July 24, 2026, the National President of the NURTW, Musiliu Akinsanya, popularly known as MC Oluomo, declared that Governor Adeleke's suspension order was illegal and without effect. Represented by the union's Deputy National President, Aliyu Issa Ore, Akinsanya said the union was established by an Act of the National Assembly and had previously secured court victories against similar actions by state governments. "Today, we heard that the state governor in Osun suspended the activities of our union, which they don't have the power to do," Akinsanya said. "Not any single state governor has the power to suspend the activities of the union because we are not under any state. There is an Act that established the NURTW".
The crisis erupted after a faction of the union led by Kazeem Oyewale staged a protest against the leadership of the Osun NURTW chairman, Nurudeen Alowonle, an Adeleke supporter. The protesters, accompanied by police officers, moved through major roads in Osogbo before arriving at Old Garage Motor Park, where they met members of Alowonle's faction. The situation quickly turned violent as both groups engaged in a confrontation, with gunshots causing panic among residents. In response, Governor Adeleke, through his Commissioner for Information, Kolapo Alimi, ordered the immediate suspension of all NURTW activities in motor parks across the state, the suspension of the collection of all levies, and directed security agencies to arrest anyone parading as an official or executive of the union in any motor park.
Defying the governor's directive, the NURTW national leadership proceeded to inaugurate a caretaker committee to oversee the union's affairs in Osun State pending the resolution of the leadership crisis rocking the state chapter. The committee, chaired by Kazeem Oyewale, popularly known as Asiri Eniba, comprises Sunday Oludare as secretary, Lukman Ahmed as treasurer, and Ismaila Abdurahim, Adebayo Tajudin, Tajudin Akin, and Ayinde Mutiu as members. Explaining the decision, Akinsanya pointed to the union's responsibilities ahead of the August 15 governorship election, noting that the NURTW has a Memorandum of Understanding with the Independent National Electoral Commission for the transportation of election materials. "We could not leave the activities of the union without having leadership on the ground," Ore said. "Most especially, we have MoU with INEC. I was at INEC yesterday based on the directive of the president of our union. In view of this, we have to inaugurate the caretaker members who are to mount the leadership of the NURTW pending the time we resolve all issues attached to Osun".
The Osun State Government, however, has rejected the caretaker committee, insisting that Alowonle and his executives across the local government areas remain the substantive leadership of the NURTW. The government also clarified that Governor Adeleke did not dissolve the union leadership or remove any duly appointed officers, but merely suspended activities in motor parks pending the restoration of peace and order. In a statement, the government said Alowonle and his executive were appointed by the national leadership of the NURTW under MC Oluomo in line with the union's regulations, and that "there is no vacuum in the leadership of the union". The government also pointed out that the caretaker committee chairman, Kazeem Oyewale, has murder charges filed against him by the state.
The standoff between the Osun State Government and the NURTW national leadership has created a precarious situation in the state's motor parks, with both sides claiming authority. Akinsanya insisted that the national body could not leave the state chapter without recognised leadership, particularly with the governorship election approaching and the union expected to play its role under an existing MoU with INEC. He also noted that the union had won several cases in different states regarding the suspension of its activities. "I know in Oyo, recently, in Lagos, in so many states, they turned deaf ears to our pain. But that notwithstanding, the issue at stake is not that issue. What is paramount to us is to have our leadership on ground". As the political battle intensifies, the question remains whether Governor Adeleke will enforce his suspension order or whether the NURTW's national leadership will succeed in asserting its authority over the union's affairs in Osun State ahead of the crucial governorship election.
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