COURT STRIKES OUT TOKYO'S BID TO LEAD OYO NURTW

By OLA AJAYI
IBADAN-AN Oyo State high Court has struck out a suit filed by Chairman of Oyo State chapter of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, Alhaji Lateef Akinsola also known as Tokyo to gain recognition as leader of the union in the state.

The case was struck out by Justice Aderonke Aderemi who said the court lacked jurisdiction to entertain the suit.

Akinsola, had prayed the court to validate an earlier judgment of the National Industrial Court, NIC, which reinstated him as  chairman of the union in  2010.

But due to  reasons best known to him, former governor, Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala did not obey the order of the court.

In the suit filed by Tokyo, the National President of the union, Alhaji Najeem Yasin had said no to the prayers of Tokyo to reclaim the union's leadership through the State High Court.

Counsel to Yasin,  Waheed Olajide, had argued that the State High Court lacked jurisdiction to adjudicate the matter quoting section 254, sub-section (1d) of the 1999 constitution.

The section, according to the union's National headquarters vested jurisdiction on matters relating to Trade union disputes on the NIC and not state High Court, stressing that the argument by Tokyo that he was denied his right to occupy the seat after NIC's judgment was a mere exercise in futility.

Though Tokyo's lawyer, Mr. Kareem Adekola held a contrary view but the judge in her ruling awarded a N5,000 cost against Tokyo in favour of the union's National leadership and subsequently struck out the case for lack of jurisdiction.

A group within the union  urged Governor Abiola Ajimobi not to impose Tokyo or any of his cronies on the union again.