Judge Urges Transport Unions To Maintain Status Quo

A Port Harcourt High Court presided over by Justice S.H. Aprioku has advised two factional transport unions in Rivers State to maintain status quo pending the determination of the suit pending before the court.

The two unions are the National Union of Road Transport Workers, others called (NURTW) and the Rivers Transport Investment and Co-operative Union Limited (RTICUL) are contending the legitimate right of operation.

Justice Aprioku gave the charge during the hearing of the matter and urged the two unions to maintain peace in their daily business operations.

The trial judge further cautioned them to desist from any act that would jeopardise the smooth trial of the case, warning that the court would not entertain any form of fighting among the union.

The NURTW instituted a suit against the Cooperative Union in a suit No. 2343/2012, through its counsel T.D. Obaye Ekine, seeking a declaration and injunction to stop the defendant RTICUL from conducting their public transport business, which then claim is their exclusive right, and have been assigned to them by the right authorities in approved taxi unit stands with Obio/Akpor and Port Harcourt.

The claimant group led by Mr. Boms Chuks also sought for perpetual injunction restraining RTICUL from doing business in Port Harcourt and Obio/Akpor.

However, the Cooperative Union the defendant through its Counsel, O.C. High King the defendant had maintained that the fact pleaded by the claimant raises only political questions at best, adding that the claimant have no locus standing to institute and maintain the claim which is not justifiable.

He also urged the court to strike out and dismiss the case with cost against NURTW.

Meanwhile, the leaders of the RTICUL, Mr. Tubonimi Wokoma and Nimi Tamuno who serve as president and secretary respectively have condemned the step taken by the NURTW, stressing that they have no business with the National Union as long as transport business is concerned.

Mr. Tamuno explained that the NURTW have been trying its best to make them yeild to their dictates, but posited that the Cooperative is a different group entirely, established by the appropriate law.