TheCable

The national executives of the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD)  have accused the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) of violating the by-laws of the union.

In a statement Sunday, Lucky Osesua, a factional chairman of PTD and Humble Power, national secretary, union criticised the NUPENG leadership for holding an election in Ibadan, Oyo state, in violation of the union’s by-laws, which mandates that such exercise should take place in Abuja.

The Osesua-led PTD leadership also accused NUPENG of contempt of court for conducting the election in Ibadan despite a court injunction restraining it from holding such a poll.

The group maintained that the election held in Abuja on October 31, which produced Osesua as the national chairman and Dayyabu Yusuf Garga as deputy national chairman, was a legitimate exercise.

The union appealed to President Bola Tinubu and Simon Lalong, minister of labour and employment, to recognise its leadership.

“Afolabi Olawale tried to manipulate and circumvent the bye-law of the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) branch of NUPENG by holding delegates conference in Ibadan, Oyo State, contrary to the provisions of the bye-law which clearly gives Abuja as a legally recognized venue for the election,” the statement reads.

“Yet, in flagrant defiance to court order, they went ahead and held an illegal conference despite the court injunction, which barred them from doing so.

“Above all, PTD is already awake and cannot continue to allow its employees to remain its tormentors and exploiters.

“The trio of comrades Akporeha, Afolabi and Oladiti should be called to order before they set the union on the verge of a precipice.”

Osesua stressed the importance of PTD in the oil and gas industry and the importance of transporting petroleum products and supplying gas to Nigerians across the country.

He urged the government to recognise their legitimate leadership and allow them to continue serving members and the nation.

Last month, Osesua was remanded in prison over an alleged assault.

The development followed an alleged attack on Williams Akporeha, NUPENG’s president; Wale Afolabi, the union’s general secretary; and Augustine Egbon, the new PTD chair.