By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
Comrade Joseph Dagogo-Jack of the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) Branch of Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), Port Harcourt Zone, has taken a swipe at the parent union over failure to comply with the court’s decision which called for a fresh and all-inclusive national delegates conference, noting that the branch will not rest until it gets justice for disenfranchised candidates.
In a statement he made available to newsmen on Monday the Labour leader maintained that supporters loyal to Comrade Lucky Osesua, Dayyabu Garga, Obinna Humble Power, Olabisi Akinlolu etc were bullied, attacked, and disenfranchised during the preparation for the delegates conference so as to pave way for the preferred candidates under the instruction of the General Secretary, Afolabi Olawale.
He said every PTD eligible delegate has a right for their votes to count.
“Amidst what we went through; attacks, intimidation, but in the end we realized that God is a God of justice. God has heard the cry of impoverished PTD members and that is why the election held in Abuja on Thursday July 4, brought victory for Comrade Lucky Osesua, while the July 3, kangaroo delegates conference in Lagos is not recognized by the court of competent jurisdiction, and such shenanigan would surely be nullified through the instrument of the law,” Dagogo said.
The statement continues;
Osesua’s faction remains the liberation struggle, and his commitment and that of his legitimate team will give succour, sense of belonging and ease of running union activities to PTD members without extortion, intimidation or victimization to all our members in all the four zones of the branch in Lagos, Port Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna zones.
“I will continue to salute the courage of Hon. Justice O.Y Anuwe for protecting the sanctity of the temple of justice without fear or favour. Her court ordered NUPENG to forthwith put the process for the new election in motion by constituting an all-inclusive Electoral and Caretaker Committee, as ordered in the judgment in Suit No. NICN/YEN/14/2022, who shall conduct the election within 4 months from the date of this judgment’.
“But, NUPENG, on May 31, 2024, released another discriminatory and selective election guidelines to favour their preferred candidates. This is against the judgment of the court, not equitable, unfair, unjust, and against natural justice” he said
“PTD members are tired, they deserve change and that is why many of them are standing up for what they believe in, which is having a positive change for a better PTD where all drivers’ lives matter, and their welfare and wellbeing are properly taken care of.
“I am using this medium to further appeal to all PTD members to remain calm, law abiding and never to work against the seamless policies of President Ahmed Bola Tinubu’s administration in the downstream petroleum industry, while enjoining members to continue in their pivotal roles of distributing petroleum products across the country.
“Victory for Osesua, Garga, Humble and others remains intact. The judiciary has done it before, they will also repeat it once again and I have absolute confidence in them that they are truly the last hope of the common man, this time around they won’t fail us still. We won’t end this struggle until we get justice for Osesua and his team.” The statement concluded.