Osun Govt Affirms Alowonle as Recognised NURTW Chairman, Says Adeleke Did Not Dissolve Union Leadership
By Waliu Adetokun, Osogbo
The Osun State Government has reaffirmed that Comrade Wakeel Nurudeen Alowonle remains the duly recognised Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in the state, clarifying that Governor Ademola Adeleke did not dissolve the union’s leadership or remove any of its officials.
The clarification was contained in a statement issued on Friday by the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Oluomo Kolapo Alimi, who said the government’s directive following Thursday’s State Security Council meeting had been widely misrepresented.
Alimi explained that Alowonle and members of his executive at both the state and local government levels were appointed by the national leadership of the NURTW under Comrade Musiliu Akinsanya (MC Oluomo) in line with the union’s constitution and operational guidelines.
He said, “There is no vacuum in the leadership of the union. Comrade Wakeel Nurudeen Alowonle and his executive remain the substantive leadership of the Osun State NURTW as recognised by both the national leadership of the union and the Osun State Government.”
According to the commissioner, the State Security Council only suspended all NURTW activities in motor parks across Osun as part of efforts to restore peace following the activities of suspected hoodlums allegedly led by Kazeem Oyewale, popularly known as Asiri Eniba.
He, however, expressed concern that some individuals had deliberately twisted the directive to create the impression that the government had dissolved the Alowonle-led executive and paved the way for the inauguration of a caretaker committee.
“At no time did the state government dissolve the executives of the NURTW at any level. The directive of the Security Council was only to suspend the activities of the union in all motor parks pending the restoration of peace,” Alimi stated.
The commissioner also recalled that Governor Adeleke had made it clear during the Security Council meeting that motor parks in the state were not closed despite the suspension of union activities.
He added, “The Governor stated yesterday that the parks are not closed and should not be closed.”
Reaffirming the government’s position, Alimi stressed that the Alowonle-led executive remains the only leadership recognised by the state government and the national leadership of the NURTW.
He disclosed that security agencies had been directed to remove Asiri Eniba and members of his group from all motor parks across the state.
“The Governor has directed all security agencies to flush out Asiri Eniba and his gang from all motor parks without further delay, as they have no legal basis to operate there,” the statement said.
The government expressed confidence that normal union activities would resume under the leadership of Comrade Wakeel Nurudeen Alowonle once peace and security are fully restored in motor parks across the state.
