The Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, has reaffirmed Musa Mohammed as the duly elected Executive President of the Road Transport Employers’ Association of Nigeria (RTEAN).
Delivering judgement, the three-member panel, presided over by Justice Hamma Barka but read by Justice Abba Mohammed, struck out the suit filed by Eriyo Osakpamwan, describing it as academic and lacking in practical relevance, as the tenure in dispute (2018–2023) had already expired and a fresh election had since been conducted.
The panel unanimously agreed that the subject of the appeal had been overtaken by events and that proceeding with the matter would serve no useful legal purpose.
In the lead judgement, Justice Mohammed stated that courts are not venues for academic debate but for resolving live disputes with real 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,” he said.
Concurring, Justice Eberechi Nyesom-Wike held that, “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 originated from 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 2018 and 2019 resolutions of RTEAN’s National Executive Council (NEC), recognising Musa Mohammed as the association’s legitimate president.
Dissatisfied, Osakpamwan filed an appeal on seven grounds but later withdrew six, leaving only a jurisdictional question — specifically, whether the NIC had the authority to hear the matter without prior recourse to conciliation or arbitration, as stipulated by the Trade Disputes Act.
Although the Court of Appeal agreed that procedural steps such as conciliation ought to precede litigation, it held that the jurisdictional question was now moot, given the lapse of the contested tenure.
The judgement effectively ends a five-year legal tussle over the leadership of the association.
In his reaction, Mohammed commended the judiciary for upholding justice and praised RTEAN members nationwide for their patience and loyalty.
“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 also extended an olive branch to all members, including past challengers, urging them to work together to foster 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 added.
In a separate statement, RTEAN’s Deputy National President, Muhammed Bishara, reaffirmed the association’s commitment to transparency, lawful governance, and the welfare of its members.
Source; Channels News
