August protest: No leadership crisis in PTD-NUPENG, Egbon warns against infiltration

Ahead of August 1st planned protest by some youths, the national secretriat of the Petroleum Tanker Drivers Branch of Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has raised alarm of move to infiltrate its ranks by individuals bent on making themselves available to promote the protest.

National Chairman of the PTD- NUPENG, Comrades Augustine Egbon raised the alarm in a statement Wednesday in Abuja.

The statement was reacting to an online report attributed to a member of the Union, Comrade Olaitan Idris, who vowed that an industrial crisis was imminent as the recent special delegates conference held in Lagos, where Comrades Augustine Egbon and Oluchi Chinagorom were elected as the national chairman and national secretary, respectively along with fifteen others did not enjoy the support of majority of the members of the Union.

The online report also demanded for a fresh election to forestall a major industrial crisis.

Responding, National Chairman of the PTD- NUPENG, Comrade Augustine Egbon said the declaration of impending crisis was not true and a wild claim.

Egbon declared that members across the zones and the 150 units of the PTD- NUPENG were fully represented in the election held in Lagos with representatives of the Federal Ministry of Labour in attendance.

The PTD-NUPENG boss alerted the security agencies to invite Comrade Olaitan, whom he alleged was being used by forces bent on collaborating with masterminds of the August protest for interrogation.

He said: “There was no truth in the claim made by the so called Comrade Idris who claimed to be a member of the Union. We don’t even know him in any of our units.

“Nigerians should disregard rumours of strike by our Union. Those saying that are people planning for August protest.

“The PTD- NUPENG under my leadership are not going on strike as there was no reason for it.

“We are not going to partake in any August protest. I urge the Federal Government to fish out those issuing threat of strike at this critical period in our industry.

The PTD-NUPENG chairman restated that the election held in Lagos was done in compliance with due process.

“Duly accredited delegates voted freely voted without any molestation and they elected candidates of their choice.
We recall that those who decided to boycott the election at the last minutes actually picked Forms which they submitted to the electoral Committee. They had earlier run to the Industrial Court in Abuja seeking for an injunction to stop the election but they were not granted.

“If they have any genuine case, they should seek redress before the National Industrial Court rather than creating panic in the industry.

“We restate that the special delegates exercise conducted in Lagos where I was returned as National Chairman along with fifteen others as national officers was in full compliance with the judgment of the NIC under its Lordship, Justice O Y Anuwe of the National Industrial Court,( NIC) in Abuja which on May 29, 2024, annulled previous election of the union held in Abuja and  Lagos, last October.

“The election conducted in Lagos was done with strict compliance with the NUPENG Constitution and the PTD Bye Laws.

“Nigerians should ignore the jesters parading themselves as members of our Union. They are being used by fifth columnist desperate to create panic in the country.”