Petroleum Tanker Drivers elect national chairman as faction kicks

The Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD), an affiliate of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), has elected Augustine Egbon from the Benin unit of the Warri zonal council of the union as the national chairman.

This is just as a faction of the union led by the PTD Port Harcourt zonal chairman, Musa Dennis, kicked against the election, saying his faction will not relent until the procedures as stipulated in the constitution of NUPENG are followed.

In a statement signed by the President of NUPENG, Williams Akporeha and General Secretary, Olawale Afolabi, NUPENG insisted that the election, which took place in Ibadan Oyo state on October 31, 2023, was held in compliance with the judgement delivered by Justice Bashar A. Alkali of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN), in the Yenagoa Judicial Division, holden at Yenagoa on Suit No. NICN/YEN/1/2022, which nullified the Petroleum Tanker Drivers’ Branch of NUPENG’s election held on June 30, 2O22 in lbadan, Oyo State.

“The Special Delegates Conference was fully attended by 712 delegates representing 177 units of the Petroleum Tanker Drivers Branch of NUPENG from the four Zonal Councils of the Union in Warri, Kaduna, Lagos and Port Harcourt Zones.
“In attendance at the conference were the President of NUPENG, Comrade Prince Williams Akporeha, the General Secretary of the Union, Comrade Olawale Afolabi, Registrar of Trade Union, Amos Falonipe, representing the Minister of Labour and Productivity, the Labour Controller of Oyo State, Festus Igbinosun,” the statement read in part.

Part of those, who attended the Ibadan election included the President of the National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), Othman Yusuf, the Executive Secretary of NARTO, Aloga Ogogo, a former General Secretary of NUPENG, Joseph Akinlaja, members of the National Executive Council of NUPENG, former National Chairmen of the Petroleum Tanker Drivers branch such as Tijjani Zubairu and Salimon Oladiti with chairmen and secretaries of other branches of the union as observers.

Other Officers returned elected after the elections included, Malut Abubakar, who emerged as National Deputy Chairman 1 while Odinakachi Nwafor was returned as National Deputy Chairman 2. Oluchi Chinagorum is the National Secretary, Oluyemisi Omasanyan emerged National Treasurer and Shaibu Mohammed Liba is the National Trustee. Dauda Hamsat Olabisi was elected National Vice Chairman Lagos Zone, Mathias Ote as National Vice Chairman Warri Zone while Lawal Garba was voted National Vice Chairman of Kaduna Zone.

Olaoluwa Akinmuyise is now the National Vice Chairman Port Harcourt Zone, Yunusa Ibrahim Beji was elected National Auditor whilst Mufuatu Bello was returned National Financial Secretary. Shuwa Oyemami was equally elected National PRO, Timothy Iseoluwa emerged National Welfare Officer.

Oha Anthony and Emmanuel Omokero were elected National Chief Whip and National Assistant Secretary respectively.

The statement added: “We request all members of the public, government institutions, security agencies and all other stakeholders in the oil and gas industry to grant these newly elected officers all the necessary recognition and support to carry out their official responsibilities as Union leaders.”

Meanwhile, disagreeing with the Ibadan election, PTD Port Harcourt zonal chairman, Musa Dennis, said: “We are aware of the election at the national level and we are saying that due process must be adhered to by religiously respecting the provisions of our by-laws. There should be no imposition of candidates, as we shall vehemently reject purported electoral guidelines by the National Caretaker Committee. We are stating categorically that a tree cannot make a forest. Our branch is the mechanized division of the NUPENG family and we have the capacity to say no to evil agenda

“Consequently, we shall resist all forms of departure from the rules as exemplified by the General Secretary of NUPENG, Afolabi Olawele and the out-gone National Chairman of PTD, Dr. Salimon Oladiti respectively. We don’t want division in PTD for we are one strong family. We, the entire bonafide leaders and members of PTD Port-Harcourt zone, will not condone or accept the outcome of any election held outside our national headquarters, Abuja which did not follow the electoral guidelines and provisions of our by-laws.”