By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

An elder from the Port Harcourt Zone of Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) Branch of NUPENG, Comrade Joseph Dagogo-Jack (JP) has flayed the leadership of NUPENG for cautioning stakeholders in the Petroleum industry not to accord recognition to Association of Distributors and Transporters of Petroleum Products (ADITOP) who is set to hold a very crucial meeting on Thursday, October 31, 2024 with the petroleum marketers and other key stakeholders in the industry.

Elder Dagogo-Jack who spoke to some selected journalists in Calabar, Cross River State Wednesday night added that NUPENG acted ignorantly, having failed to understand the letters of the constitution of the land which clearly gave the right and privileges to all Nigerians to freely and willingly associate without fear of intimidation, harassment, or victimization.

Comrades Williams Akporeha and Afolabi Olawale, President and General Secretary, respectively of NUPENG had earlier on Wednesday issued a statement to newsmen in Abuja notifying the public about the latest development in the petroleum downstream sector and the potential threat it could have on its numerical strength.

Dagogo-Jack stated that lack of competent leaders have caused the Union many pains and has depleted the membership of the union. He further cited many court cases as bane of progress in PTD, while also urging NUPENG to embrace reconciliation and unite all aggrieved members. He said if that was done no Association can stand as a threat to the union under any guise.

“One wonders why NUPENG especially the General Secretary, and the President, Afolabi Olawale and Williams Akporeha have suddenly become so destabilized and jittery, having got the information that ADITOP will be meeting with petroleum marketers and other key stakeholders in the industry on Thursday, to the extent that they had to issue a statement notifying industry stakeholders not to be associated with them.

“This is not only laughable but also ridiculous. But of course, for lack of knowledge, and gross incompetence it will be quick for them to say NUPENG and its sister Union PENGASSAN are the umbrella bodies for Oil and Gas Workers in Nigeria that represent and protect the interests of the Nigerian oil and Gas workers including Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD). NUPENG has forgotten that the constitution of Nigeria clearly bestows on the citizens the rights and privileges to freely and willingly associate without fear of intimidation, harassment, or victimization.

“Regrettably, the PTD Branch of NUPENG, which is the goose that lays the golden egg, has multiple cases in court. We have cases that are on internal issues aside from election and pre-election matters in all courts; Federal High Courts to National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN), to Court of Appeal. When a Union is in crisis, it will find it difficult to be on the pathway of peace, progress and prosperity. The Union that succeeds is the one that can manage its affairs, avoid crisis, and be united at all times without cracks or division. You need that unity to get the best of your members along with the leadership to drive your agenda, purposes and objectives. Nobody will invest in a crisis-laden trade union; that would apparently amount to a waste of time, energy, and resources.

“When a Union is in crisis, things don’t augur well at all, and no serious-minded industry player will ever want to associate with such union and that is the limitation and challenge PTD and NUPENG are facing at the moment. The PTD as currently constituted can best be described as an empty shell divided into pieces. To reposition itself, the PTD has to put in place effective leadership. A Union or association without a responsible, committed and competent leaders that can weather the storms should be shown the way out. So, the right and effective leadership has to be put in place as quickly as possible. The leadership has to work in synergy and be united. When they have that united leadership, then the PTD can build up all the other structures of the Branch in a most acceptable and legitimate manner at Unit, Zonal and National levels.

“However the only move to be initiated by the leadership of NUPENG that will significantly help the Union to restore back its lost glory and dignity is for the General Secretary, Olawale Afolabi and the President, Williams Akporeha to drop all cases in court and create room for reconciliation, unite every aggrieved member and ultimately bestore leadership legitimacy of Comrade Lucky Osesua, Comrade Dayyabu Garga, Comrade (Chief) Peter Moudebelu (Onwa), Comrade Dr Humble Obinna Power and others in line with the extant rules of the Union.

“This will undoubtedly restore sanity back to the Union and foster progress and prosperity. It will also restore confidence wherein the parent Union will have no reason to doubt the loyalty of its executives or to insinuate they may want to pitch their tent with another Union, for example ADITOP. If members of PTD across the four zones of the Branch see that Osesua and his team are back, then the Union will come back to its full potential as a formidable and indomitable trade union with capacity, wit and force.

“The Federal Government, Law enforcement agencies, industry stakeholders are all watching NUPENG very closely, other Unions both locally and intentionally are also watching, therefore NUPENG’s leadership should swallow its pride and mend its fence. There is nothing to be ashamed of, in retracing one’s bad steps in the overall and collective interest of the Union, and putting behind every internal challenge plaguing the union, and I tell you it is not too late to do the needful if truly they are genuine leaders,” Dagogo-Jack stated.

By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

The Nigerian Senate has screened and confirmed the appointment of seven ministerial nominees forwarded to it by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The nominees were confirmed after several hours of screening during plenary in Abuja

However, some of the nominees who had served the nation in different capacities in the past, and were confirmed by the Senate, were simply asked to introduce themselves and then take a bow and go.

The ministerial appointees who were screened and confirmed are: Dr Nentawe Yilwatda, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Muhammadu Dingyadi, Minister of Labour and Employment and Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, Minister of State and, Foreign Affairs.

Others are Dr Jumoke Oduwole, Minister of Industry, Trade and Development, Idi Maiha, Ministry of Livestock Development, Yusuf Ata, Minister of State, Housing and Dr Suwaiba Ahmad, Minister of State for Education.

The Senate on Wednesday gave a clean bill of health to Bianca wife of former governor of Eastern Nigeria, Odumegu Ojukwu, and six other minister-designates forwarded to it by President Bola Tinubu.

In her presentation, the nominee from Anambra, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, lamented the state of the country’s embassies abroad.

She said that poor funding had put the posts in “deplorable conditions that do not represent Nigeria’s standing in the comity of nations.”

It is imperative to renovate the buildings and make the surrounding suitable for lawmakers to use when you come to these countries, and to interface with foreign partners”.

She said that among the country’s challenges was commitment to service, adding “if we are committed to serving this nation with the focus of finding peace, we shall succeed.”

A few senators who spoke during the exercise commended Tinubu for bringing in nominees in spite of party affiliations.

The nomination, according to Sen. Eyinnaya Abaribe (APGA-Abia) highlighted the administration’s focus on the unity of the country.

He said, “The President must be commended for nominating someone across party lines, even someone from APGA, and the wife of my former party leader, late Chief Odumegu Ojukwu.

“By this, the President has started a unity government and the process of national integration”.

For his part, Sen. Victor Umeh (LP-Anambra), described her nomination as a healing process for the country

By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

President Bola Tinubu has appointed Major General Olufemi Olatubosun Oluyede as the new Chief of Army Staff.

This was contained in a statement on Wednesday by the presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga.

He said Oluyede would hold sway as the CoAS pending the return of Lt. General Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja, who is said to be indisposed and is receiving treatment abroad.

“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, has appointed Major General Olufemi Olatubosun Oluyede as the acting Chief of Army Staff (COAS),” the statement read.

“Oluyede will act in the position pending the return of the indisposed substantive Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja.

Until his appointment, Oluyede served as the 56th Commander of the elite Infantry Corps of the Nigerian Army, based in Jaji, Kaduna.

The 56-year-old Oluyede and Lagbaja were coursemates and members of the 39th Regular Course.

He was commissioned a second lieutenant in 1992, effective from 1987. He rose to Major-General in September 2020.

Oluyede has held many commands since his commissioning as an officer. He was Platoon Commander and adjutant at 65 Battalion, Company Commander at 177 Guards Battalion, Staff Officer Guards Brigade, Commandant Amphibious Training School.

General Oluyede participated in several operations, including the Economic Community of West African States Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) Mission in Liberia, Operation HARMONY IV in Bakassi, and Operation HADIN KAI in the North East theatre of operations, where he commanded 27 Task Force Brigade.

Oluyede has earned many honours for his meritorious service in various fields of operations. These include the Corps Medal of Honour, the Grand Service Star, Passing the Staff Course, and Membership in the National Institute.