NURTW Ughelli North Crisis: Ighovoja Faults Chairman’s Expulsion

BY JOEL GRANDBALL

THE Assistant Secretary, Na­tional Union of Road Trans­port Workers (NURTW), Ughelli North Branch B, Chief Akpo­robo Ighovoja has condemned the alleged expulsion of the NURTW Chairman, Otovwodo Motor Park, Comrade Solomon Esharive, over a leadership tussle, describing it as unconstitutional, null and void.

Chief Ighovoja made this known while reacting to a recent publica­tion by anonymous and unverified social media handles.

Speaking to newsmen regarding the alleged explosion, he said: “I strongly condemn the publication aimed at defaming the character and integrity of our NURTW Ughelli North Branch B Chairman, Com­rade Solomon Esharive.”

Chief Ighovoja, who also serves as the Taskforce Head NURTW Ughelli North Branch B, stated that the purported expulsion of Comrade Solomon Esharive by Otovwodo unit executive of the union was baseless and unlawful. He claimed that the allegations against Esharive were fabricated to achieve a premeditated outcome — likening it to “giving a dog a bad name in order to hang it.”

According to him: “The union has a laid-down procedure for dis­ciplining and sanctioning any offi­cer found guilty of an offence. That responsibility lies solely with the State Council, not the unit executive members or the community where the Union operates.”

He added that the matter is already before the State Council, and all concerned parties have been invited for a meeting to resolve the internal crisis.

“There is a constitution guiding the union, and it must be followed. Any aggrieved individual who acts outside the constitution is acting il­legally,” he said.

“I call on the state and national officers to caution those involved in the character assassination of our Chairman. They should desist, as the matter is already before the appropri­ate authorities.”

He also decried the interference of the local community in what he described as an internal union matter.

“Just as the community cannot in­terfere in the affairs of unions like NUT and NUPENG, it should not interfere with NURTW matters. The issue is being handled by the State Council.”

Chief Ighovoja urged all stakehold­ers to await the outcome of the state ­council intervention.