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PTD Renews Call To Rebuild NUPENG, Accuses General Secretary, Afolabi Of Destroying Union’s Legacies*
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
One of the prominent elders in Warri Zone of Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) Branch of Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), Comrade Blessing Dafinone has accused the General Secretary of the parent body, Afolabi Olawale of destroying the legacies which the forebears of the foremost union built when they were in the leadership saddle.
Dafinone made the remarks on Monday while speaking to members of the union who paid her a courtesy visit at Eko hotel in Lagos before returning back to her base in Delta State.
The union leader also maintained that members and staff of NUPENG are weeping because Mr. Olawale has destroyed the fabric of the union’s unity and growth.
She said, “NUPENG is loaded with man power potentials across board and we are respected for our hard work and intelligence. Such potentials will amount to nothing when not harnessed to effectively bring out greatness for our cherished staff at various zones and the National secretariat of our union.
“The leaders of NUPENG particularly the President, General Secretary and Trustee must show good example by reaching out to all aggrieved individuals across the branches particularly PTD, the preferred choice of the people are Comrade Lucky Osesua, Dayyabu Garga, Humble Obinna Power, Olabisi Akinlolu and others. By imposing Augustine Egbon on them as PTD national Chairman, through a Kangaroo election contrary to the order given by the National Industrial Court which clearly stated the delegates conference should be nondiscriminatory, all-inclusive and transparent, etc. It is regrettable that members and staff of NUPENG are weeping because Mr. Olawale Afolabi has destroyed the fabric of the union’s unity and growth.
“You can never fault the legacies of late Comrade Frank Kokori, he did so well for NUPENG and Nigeria at large and posterity will continue to be kind to him. He was a thoroughbred democrat and activist. He fought for democracy at a great personal cost. He surrendered his liberty to fight for truth and justice. He was the finest among reformers and champions of civil rights in Nigeria.
“We can’t also forget veterans like Comrade Joseph Akinlaja, Comrade Elijah Okuogbo, Comrade Peter Akpatasan, Comrade Igwe Achese and so on. They all wrote their names in gold. Today, unfortunately, NUPENG now has one man, Afolabi Olawale, who.came to our union, took away the peaceful coexistence rooted in humility, integrity, good name, symbiotic relationship, selfless service and hard work. This is a big shame but the man responsible for this seems to be shameless.
“Today what we read about NUPENG on the internet and in the pages of newspapers are very unpleasant and disgusting and every accusing finger is directed at one man, having displayed high handedness and horrific shenanigans in the union affairs; that person is Afolabi Olawale. He practically turned NUPENG to his personal estate. It is unbelievable that NUPENG is no longer producing its legacy magazine, Energy News.
“We also learnt that the President and General Secretary have both moved in to the new secretariat in Jibowu, known as NUPENG tower, without any official notice, and it’s even strange to know that some senior staff are not allowed to the multi-billion naira edifice, which is a waste of money to money. It is high time we called on all the leaders and veterans of NUPENG to collectively come together and resolve the embarrassing and lingering problems of our union before it is too late.”
After Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida abandoned his quest for U.S. attorney general, President-elect Donald Trump wasted no time in choosing another candidate for the position.
On Thursday evening, Trump announced his decision on social media.
“I am proud to announce former Attorney General of the Great State of Florida, Pam Bondi, as our next Attorney General of the United States,” he posted on Twitter. “Pam was a prosecutor for nearly 20 years, where she was very tough on Violent Criminals, and made the streets safe for Florida Families,” according to him.
“Then, as Florida’s first female Attorney General, she worked to stop the trafficking of deadly drugs and reduce the tragedy of Fentanyl overdose deaths.”
No fewer than 38 people, most of them Shiite Muslims, were killed in northwestern Pakistan on Thursday as gunmen ambushed convoys of vehicles that had been under the protection of security forces.
The attack was one of the deadliest in months of sectarian violence in the Kurram region, a scenic mountainous district bordering Afghanistan. Pakistan is overwhelmingly Sunni Muslim, but Kurram’s population of 800,000 is nearly half Shiite Muslim, contributing to a cauldron of tribal tensions.
Conflicts, often rooted in disputes over land, frequently escalate into deadly sectarian clashes. The violence highlights the government’s persistent struggle to maintain control in the region.
The vehicles had been traveling in opposite directions on the main road connecting Parachinar, a Shiite-majority town in Kurram, to Peshawar, the provincial capital 135 miles away.
The road, a vital lifeline for the district, had only recently reopened after being closed for three weeks because of an ambush on Oct. 12 that left at least 16 people dead.
During the closure, residents of Parachinar were cut off from essential supplies, including food and fuel, leading to a growing humanitarian crisis.
On the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, November 25, the report Femicides in
UN Women
Globally, 85,000 women and girls were killed intentionally in 2023. 60 per cent of these homicides -51,000- were committed by an intimate partner or other family member. 140 women and girls die every day at the hands of their partner or a close relative, which means one woman or girl is killed every 10 minutes.
In 2023, Africa recorded the highest rates of intimate partner and family-related femicide, followed by the Americas and then by Oceania. In Europe and the Americas, most women killed in the domestic sphere (64 per cent and 58 per cent, respectively) were victims of intimate partners, while elsewhere, family members were the primary perpetrators.
“Violence against women and girls is not inevitable—it is preventable. We need robust legislation, improved data collection, greater government accountability, a zero-tolerance culture, and increased funding for women’s rights organizations and institutional bodies. As we approach the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action in 2025, it is time for world leaders to UNiTE and act with urgency, recommit, and channel the resources needed to end this crisis once and for all”, highlighted UN Women Executive Director, Sima Bahous.
“The new femicide report highlights the urgent need for strong criminal justice systems that hold perpetrators accountable, while ensuring adequate support for survivors, including access to safe and transparent reporting mechanisms,” said Ghada Waly, Executive Director of UNODC. “At the same time, we must confront and dismantle the gender biases, power imbalances, and harmful norms that perpetuate violence against women. As this year’s 16 Days of Activism Campaign begins, we must act now to protect women’s lives.”
The 30th anniversary of the Beijing Platform for Action in 2025, coupled with the fast-approaching five-year deadline to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, presents a critical opportunity to rally all stakeholders to take decisive and urgent action for women’s rights and gender equality. This includes ending impunity and preventing all forms of violence against women and girls.
Trump Announces Pam Bondi For Attorney General after Rep Gaetz Withdrawal
SAS! 38 Casualtie As Gunmen Ambush Shiite Convoys
One Woman, Girl Killed Every 10 Minutes Globally – UN Women
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