*Says only State Council has power
By Victor Lewis
Assistant Secretary of Otovwodo Ughelli National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, Chief Akporobo Ighogboja, has cautioned a group led by Asore Oharisi, Stanley Omobaye and others who purportedly claimed to have expelled the chairman of the Unit, Comrade Solomon Esharive, stressing that they lack the constitutional power to suspend him.
Addressing newsmen at the motor park today, 14/07/2025, Ighogboja who also doubles as the chairman of Task Force Head, Ughelli North Branch B, condemned the group whose purported act was published in a local tabloid, Ughelli Voice, and some social media platforms, warning that there is a laydown procedure of disciplining an erring officer of the Union.
Describing the purported expulsion of Esharive that is currently trending in the social media, as a defamation of the character of the Unit chairman, Ighogboja declared that only the State Council of the NURTW has the power to discipline an erring officer, adding that there is a laydown procedure specified by the Union’s Constitution.
He said: “I stand to condemn the act of the publication that is aimed at defaming the personality and the character of our Otovwodo Motor Park and Ughelli North Branch B chairman, Comrade Solomon Esharive.
“The Union has a procedure of disciplining and sanctioning her officers that are found guilty of any offence and it is the State Council that has the power to do so and not the unit executive members.
“Currently the issue that transpired is being handled by the State Council and all parties have been invited for a meeting to resolve the internal power tussle.
“There is a constitution guiding the union and it should be followed as a body and if any aggrieved person goes against the constitution, their actions would be illegal.
“I am calling on the State and National officers to caution and prevail on those assassinating the character of our chairman to desist from doing so as the issue is before the relevant authorities.”
Ighogboja accused the Community of illegal interference in the affairs of the Union, adding that they cannot do the same to other Union bodies in the area, including the NUT, NUPENG and others.
“This issue at hand is a Union affairs but it is just unfortunate that the community is interfering on a union matter that is governed by a constitution.
“Just as the community cannot interfere on the issues of NUT, NUPENG and other bodies, it should not interfere on the motor park issues which is currently before the State Council.
The State Council has invited both parties involved to appear before it on Thursday, July 17, 2025, in order to resolve the power matter and I am calling on all to wait for the outcome of the meeting with the State Council”, Chief Ighogboja stated.
In a related development, our correspondent gathered that the State Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW has dissociated the State Executive and himself from the alleged expulsion of Comrade Solomon Esharive.
In a letter signed by the State Secretary of the Union, Jibril Yemi that was obtained by this medium, the Executive of Ughelli North branch ‘B’ of the Nigeria Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW has been invited for a meeting at Asaba on Thursday July 17, 2025.
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