APPEAL COURT AFFIRMS MUSA MOHAMMED AS LEGITIMATE RTEAN PRESIDENT, STRIKES OUT LEADERSHIP SUIT
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Agency Report
The Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, has reaffirmed Musa Mohammed as the duly elected Executive President of the Road Transport Employers’ Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), effectively ending a five-year leadership dispute within the organization.
A three-member panel of justices, led by Justice Hamma Barka and with the lead judgment delivered by Justice Abba Mohammed, struck out the appeal filed by Eriyo Osakpamwan. The court described the case as “academic” and lacking practical relevance, as the disputed tenure (2018–2023) had already expired and new elections had since been conducted.
Justice Mohammed stated that, “A suit is academic when it is of no practical value to the parties involved. The tenure in question expired in 2023, and a new leadership is already in place. This court cannot turn back the clock.”
Concurring, Justice Eberechi Nyesom-Wike noted that the appeal no longer served a legal purpose. “Even as at the time the appeal was entered in 2021, there was a live issue between the parties. But the tenure of Alhaji Musa Mohammed, which is being challenged, elapsed in 2023. This appeal is now theoretical and must be struck out,” she said.
The dispute originated from a 2020 National Industrial Court ruling, which declared the emergence of Osakpamwan and Yusuf Ibrahim Adeniyi as RTEAN National President and Secretary-General, respectively, as illegal. That decision upheld the 2018 and 2019 resolutions of RTEAN’s National Executive Council affirming Musa Mohammed as the legitimate president.
Osakpamwan had appealed the ruling on seven grounds but eventually withdrew six, leaving only a jurisdictional challenge whether the National Industrial Court had authority to hear the case without prior recourse to conciliation or arbitration, as mandated by the Trade Disputes Act. The appellate court acknowledged the procedural lapse but ruled that the matter was moot due to the expiration of the disputed term.
Reacting to the judgment, Musa Mohammed commended the judiciary for upholding justice and praised RTEAN members for their patience and loyalty throughout the legal battle.
“This ruling is a testament to the strength of our democratic institutions and the resilience of RTEAN’s internal governance,” he said. “We are moving forward — united, focused, and ready to serve the interests of all transport employers across Nigeria.”
He also extended an olive branch to all members, including past rivals, urging unity and collaboration for the growth of the association.
RTEAN’s Deputy National President, Muhammed Bishara, echoed the call for unity and reaffirmed the association’s commitment to lawful leadership, transparency, and the welfare of its members.
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