The President of Road Transport Employers’ Association of Nigeria (RTEAN),Musa Mohammed has hailed the judiciary for bringing to an end a five years protracted leadership tussle in the transport union.
Mohammed made the commendation in a statement issued by RTEAN national secretariat in reaction to a decision of Appeal Court that on Tuesday affirmed his leadership position as the duly elected President of RTEAN.
“This ruling is a testament to the strength of our democratic institutions and the resilience of RTEAN’s internal governance. We are moving forward — united, focused, and ready to serve the interests of all transport employers across Nigeria,” he said.
He extended an olive branch to all RTEAN members, including past challengers, urging them to join hands in fostering unity and progress within the association.
“Let us put the past behind us and focus on building a stronger RTEAN that will contribute meaningfully to national development,” he adding that RTEAN remain committed to “transparency, lawful governance, and the welfare of its members.”
The Court of Appeal had in the
judgment in an Appeal marked No: CA/ABJ/CB/467/2021 struck out the appeal filed by Mr. Eriyo Osakpamwan, challenging 2018 -2019 RTEAN NEC decision that made Musa Mohammed President for being academic , as the tenure in dispute (2018–2023) had already lapsed and a fresh election had since been conducted and Mohammed duly elected.
The three-member panel, presided over by Justice Hamma Akawu Barka, including Justices Abba Bello Mohammed and Eberechi Suzette Nyesom-Wike were unanimous in their decision.
The panel unanimously agreed that the subject of the appeal had been overtaken by events and that continuing with the matter would serve no useful legal purpose.
In the lead judgment, Justice Abba Bello Mohammed held that courts are not forums for academic debates but for resolving live disputes with legal consequences.
“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”, Justice Mohammed said.
In their contributions to the lead judgement , Justice Eberechi Suzette Nyesom-Wike said:
“The tenure of Alhaji Musa Mohammed which is being challenged, elapsed in 2023, while we are now in 2025. This appeal is therefore of no utilitarian value to any of the parties. The appeal before us is now theoretical even as at the time the appeal was entered in 2021, there was a live issue between the parties. I concur that the appeal being academic, ought to be struck out.”
The leadership dispute traces back to a 2020 decision of the National Industrial Court (NIC), which declared the emergence of Osakpamwan and Mr. Yusuf Ibrahim Adeniyi as National President and Secretary-General of RTEAN respectively, as illegal.
The court upheld the resolutions of RTEAN’s National Executive Council (NEC) from 2018 and 2019, which recognised Dr. Musa Mohammed as the association’s legitimate president.
Dissatisfied with the ruling, Osakpamwan had filed the appeal
Recalled that the leadership dispute went back as far as 2020 decision of the National Industrial Court (NIC), which declared the emergence of Osakpamwan and Mr. Yusuf Ibrahim Adeniyi as National President and Secretary-General of RTEAN respectively, as illegal.
The court upheld the resolutions of RTEAN’s National Executive Council (NEC) from 2018 and 2019, and recognised Dr. Musa Mohammed as the association’s legitimate president