The outgoing president of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Alhaji Tajudeen Baruwa risked being jailed by the court for daring to impose himself on the union for a second term by holding an illegal delegate conference despite the fact that two subsisting court cases challenging his eligibility to run for second term.
In the first instance, an Industrial Court sitting in Abuja had on July 18 adjourned a case involving Baruwa and some members till October. Also, an Industrial court in Lagos had also adjourned ba case challenging his eligibility to run for a second term till November
Regardless of these subsisting court cases, Baruwa is allegedly plotting to organise a kangaroo delegate conference where he would be allowed to continue for another four years.
However, a legal practitioner, Barrister Mike Uwem described attempts to organise such as contempt of court which may attract severe punishment
“Contempt of court is an SCT of disrespect or disobedience toward a court or interference with its orderly process. Instances of contempt of court include disrupting court proceedings, interference with attempts to obtain evidence, disobeying a court order.”
Speaking on the likely punishment for contempt of court,” It depends on the judge. But ordinarily, it attracts fines or getting jail term(3 months imprisonment)
Uwem explained that in a normal setting, trying to organise such a delegate conference despite the fact that the matter is before a court of law is resulting in self-help and it may be interpreted as contempt of court.
The best way to go is to allow the court to run its course and deliver judgment and not self-help.
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