Baruwa’s Lawyer Accuses Tinubu Of Shielding MC Oluomo From Court Orders In NURTW Crisis

Barrister Tolu Babaleye, counsel to Comrade Ibikunle Tajudeen Baruwa, has accused President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of backing his long-time ally, Musiliu Akinsanya, popularly known as MC Oluomo, in defying court rulings that removed him as National President of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW).

Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Wednesday, Babaleye said the President’s alleged support has emboldened MC Oluomo to boast openly that only Tinubu can remove him from office. He described the situation as a clear case of impunity that undermines the judiciary.

NaijaChoice News gathered that Babaleye expressed deep frustration over the failure to enforce multiple court judgments recognising Baruwa as the legitimate NURTW president. “In my experience as a lawyer, as soon as we get a judgment, especially from the last court, we congratulate the winner because we expect it to be obeyed,” he told journalists.

The lawyer revealed that Baruwa’s camp has written formal letters to the Nigeria Labour Congress, Nigerian Bar Association, and even the National Security Adviser seeking intervention. He claimed MC Oluomo ignored an invitation from the NSA’s office, sending only his lawyer instead.

During a meeting with the Minister of Labour, Babaleye said MC Oluomo declared publicly that only the President of Nigeria could ask him to vacate the office. “If the President tells him to leave today, he will leave today. What kind of impunity is that?” the lawyer asked.

Babaleye disclosed that the group petitioned the President directly close to a year ago and published stories in major newspapers, including The Nation, hoping Tinubu would read them. No response came, he added.

He noted that MC Oluomo and his allies keep dropping the President’s name as their “father in Israel,” claiming executive protection. Babaleye said he chooses not to believe the President is aware but urged Tinubu to prove otherwise by acting on the rule of law.

The lawyer reminded Nigerians of Tinubu’s recent public praise for the judiciary as a pillar of democracy. “The President cannot claim ignorance. The deployment of police, soldiers and other security agencies to install unelected persons is a high-level operation that needs executive coordination,” he stated.

The NURTW leadership crisis has dragged on for years, with rival factions battling for control of the powerful transport union that oversees motor parks across the country. Court records show the National Industrial Court and Court of Appeal have ruled in Baruwa’s favour, yet enforcement remains a challenge.

On Monday, March 23, 2026, Baruwa and his supporters moved to take over the union’s national secretariat in Abuja, citing the court orders. Police responded to a distress call, arrested Baruwa and several others, and later defended their action as restoring order. One supporter was reportedly shot during the clash.

Security forces, including soldiers and police, later accompanied MC Oluomo back to the headquarters. The FCT Police Command confirmed the existence of a court order but said Baruwa attempted to enforce it without court sheriffs.

MC Oluomo has maintained that he remains the authentic president. In a statement, he described Baruwa’s move as a forceful takeover, insisted the judgment was under appeal with a stay of execution, and denied being a party to the suit.

The development has raised fresh concerns about political interference in labour unions and the selective enforcement of court orders in Nigeria. Transport workers and commuters in Lagos, Abuja and other major cities often bear the brunt of such crises through disputes at motor parks.

Baruwa’s legal team has vowed to pursue all lawful avenues, including further appeals to security chiefs and the Presidency, to ensure the rule of law prevails. As the dust settles, many Nigerians are watching to see if the executive arm will allow the courts to have the final say in the NURTW matter.