Furthermore, the court ordered the reinstatement of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) in Lagos State, and instructed the police to refrain from intimidating RTEAN officers. The court also directed the removal of all barricades placed around their secretariat and granted them unfettered access to their offices.
The RTEAN had filed a suit against the Lagos State government for dissolving the elected executive committee of the union and appointing a caretaker body, the Parks and Garages Administrators, headed by MC Oluomo. The court's ruling confirms that the state government's action was illegal and goes against the Trade Unions Act of 2004.
The defendants in the case were the Lagos State Governor, the Attorney-General of the state, Moyosore Onigbanjo, and the Special Adviser to the governor on transportation, Sola Giwa. The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, and all members of the caretaker committee were also named as defendants.
In January, the union's counsel argued that a state cannot interfere in the affairs of a trade union registered under the Trade Unions Act of 2004, as these matters are expected to be handled by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment. However, the counsel for the state government contended that the government neither violated the law nor dissolved the national body's operations in the state, but had sought to maintain law and order by creating the ad-hoc committee when violence ensued between the unions.
The court's ruling serves as a significant victory for the RTEAN and other trade unions operating in Nigeria, as it reinforces the importance of respecting the autonomy of trade unions and upholding the rule of law. It also underscores the need for governments to follow due process and respect the rights of citizens and organizations.
