Appeal Court Confirms Musa Mohammed’s Election as RTEAN President
The Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal has confirmed Musa Mohammed as the legitimately elected Executive President of the Road Transport Employers’ Association of Nigeria (RTEAN).
In delivering its verdict, the three-member panel, led by Justice Hamma Barka and articulated by Justice Abba Mohammed, dismissed the lawsuit filed by Eriyo Osakpamwan.
The court deemed the case as academic and devoid of practical significance, considering the contested tenure (2018–2023) had concluded and a new election had taken place.
The panel unanimously concurred that the appeal’s subject had been rendered obsolete by subsequent events, and further legal proceedings would be futile.
In the principal judgement, Justice Mohammed emphasized that courts are intended for adjudicating live disputes with tangible legal implications, not for academic discourse.
“A case is considered academic when it offers no practical benefit to the parties involved. The tenure in question ended in 2023, with new leadership already established. This court cannot reverse time,” he declared.
Agreeing with this view, Justice Eberechi Nyesom-Wike noted, “The challenged tenure of Alhaji Musa Mohammed concluded in 2023, and we are now in 2025. Thus, this appeal holds no practical value for any party. The appeal before us is purely theoretical. Even when the appeal was initiated in 2021, there was a live issue. I agree that the appeal, being academic, should be dismissed.”
The leadership conflict stemmed from a 2020 ruling by the National Industrial Court (NIC), which declared the appointments of Osakpamwan and Mr. Yusuf Ibrahim Adeniyi as National President and Secretary-General of RTEAN, respectively, as illegitimate.
The court upheld the 2018 and 2019 resolutions of RTEAN’s National Executive Council (NEC), affirming Musa Mohammed as the rightful president of the association.
Dissatisfied, Osakpamwan filed an appeal on seven grounds but later withdrew six, focusing solely on a jurisdictional issue — specifically, whether the NIC was authorized to adjudicate the matter without prior conciliation or arbitration, as stipulated by the Trade Disputes Act.
Although the Court of Appeal acknowledged that procedural steps like conciliation should precede litigation, it concluded that the jurisdictional issue was now irrelevant, given the expiration of the disputed tenure.
This ruling effectively concludes a five-year legal battle over the association’s leadership.
In response, Mohammed praised the judiciary for upholding justice and commended RTEAN members nationwide for their patience and loyalty.
“This decision is a testament to the robustness of our democratic institutions and the resilience of RTEAN’s internal governance. We are progressing — united, focused, and prepared to serve the interests of all transport employers across Nigeria,” he stated.
He also extended an olive branch to all members, including former challengers, urging collaboration to foster unity and progress within the association.
“Let us leave the past behind and concentrate on building a robust RTEAN that will significantly contribute 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.
