NURTW crisis: Union hails Uduaghan as peace returns to Delta

Members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in Delta State have resolved to sheathe their swords, following a protracted war that crippled their activities three months ago.
Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan had to wade into the crisis following destruction of lives and property worth millions of naira in Ika South branch of the union.
Determined to ensure that peace and tranquility reign, the Governor barred the union from partaking in the sharing of the state’s Urban Mass Transit Hiace buses.
While the crisis lasted, weapons, including guns, machetes, among others, were freely used by the warring factions against one another.
Trouble, The Eagle Online, recalled that trouble erupted when the election that was to usher in peace was botched, after an alleged doctored list of officers was imposed on them.
The state chairman of the union, Comrade Ifeanyi Obi, confirmed that peace has returned to branches of the union, maintaining that “all machinery have been set on motion for the botched-election to be conducted.”
Speaking on the crisis in Asaba, Comrade Obi hinted that the election to fill vacant positions in the branches would be held in the next couple of days, adding that security reports has since prevented its conduct.
He lauded Governor Uduaghan for his understanding while the crisis lasted, assuring that the leadership of the union was committed to ensuring that none of its member engage in any action that would truncate the state’s peace and security agenda.
He said, “Peace has returned to Ika South and we have concluded plans for elections, we are calling on our members who are qualified to pick their nomination forms and campaign for the election, nobody should engage in any action that will not encourage peace because, during the crisis that rocked our union in that area, it affected all of us and we felt very bad because our Governor is a peaceful man who wants a peaceful Delta for his programmes to succeed.
“There is no doubt that our members were largely involved. We have warned our members against violence. Anybody who engages in any action that is against the peace and progress of the union and the state will henceforth be appropriately sanctioned.
“We thank our Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, for contributing to the peace process in our union, we are also grateful to security agencies, kings, politicians and elders for working for peace to be in our union, we are praying that nobody should stay outside and cause trouble for us because, we are united and believe that there is only one National Union.”
He assured that election would still hold, insisting that “the era when people get positions based on ‘might is right’ is over.”