Appeal Court Affirms Musa Mohammed’s Election As RTEAN President

A Court of Appeal in Abuja has confirmed Musa Mohammed as the Executive President of the Road Transport Employers’ Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), bringing an end to a drawn-out leadership battle.

In a judgment delivered by Justice Abba Mohammed on behalf of the panel led by Justice Hamma Barka, the court dismissed an appeal filed by Eriyo Osakpamwan.

The court described the case as “academic” and irrelevant since the leadership term in question (2018 to 2023) had already ended and new elections had been held.

All three justices on the panel agreed that there was no longer a valid issue to decide, as the matter had already been overtaken by time.

Justice Mohammed emphasized that courts are meant to resolve real, active disputes, not academic arguments that no longer have any legal impact.

He stated: “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.”

Justice Eberechi Nyesom-Wike supported the ruling, noting that the appeal had lost its relevance.

She 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 dispute began in 2020 after the National Industrial Court ruled that Osakpamwan and Yusuf Ibrahim Adeniyi were not legally elected as RTEAN’s National President and Secretary-General, respectively.

That court upheld earlier decisions made in 2018 and 2019 by RTEAN’s National Executive Council, which recognized Musa Mohammed as the legitimate president.

Unhappy with the verdict, Osakpamwan took the matter to the Court of Appeal, raising seven issues. He later dropped six of them, leaving only one: whether the National Industrial Court had the authority to hear the case without first going through conciliation or arbitration, as required by the Trade Disputes Act.

While the Court of Appeal acknowledged that the dispute should have gone through those initial steps, it said that the question was no longer relevant. With the term already over, the court saw no need to rule further.

This judgment puts an end to a legal battle that has dragged on for five years.

Reacting to the ruling, Musa Mohammed praised the court for doing justice and thanked RTEAN members across the country for standing by him.

“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.

Mohammed also called on all members to join hands in moving the association forward.

He said, “Let us put the past behind us and focus on building a stronger RTEAN that will contribute meaningfully to national development.”

Also speaking, RTEAN’s Deputy National President, Muhammed Bishara, restated the association’s commitment to good governance, transparency, and the well-being of its members.

KanyiDaily recalls that a Court of Appeal in Owerri also upheld the conviction and one-year prison sentence given to Lasberry Okafor-Anyanwu, a former Imo State Commissioner for Transport under Rochas Okorocha’s administration.