… PTD Warns NUPENG General Secretary, Afolabi

By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

The Petroleum Tanker Drivers Branch of NUPENG has taken a swipe at the General Secretary of the union, Afolabi Olawale, for placing oil workers “on red alert” in the wake of a letter from the Deputy Commissioner of Police, IRT, directing the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, (NLC), Joe Ajaero to appear at the Force Headquarters, on August 20, and warning that he would be arrested if he failed to honour the invitation.

Afolabi in a circular had reportedly notified all NUPENG organs and members nationwide on Thursday, August 22, 2024 to be prepared for an industrial action should the Police operatives apprehend the President of the NLC, Ajaero.

Meanwhile, the NLC had, through its lawyer, Mr Femi Falana, SAN, written to the Inspector General of Police, IGP, explaining why the NLC President could not honour the August 20 date, while also assuring that Ajaero would honour the Police invitation on August 29 and requested that the Police furnish him with details and the nature of the allegations.

However, in a show of disappointment and discontent to this development, stakeholders and elders of the PTD in Kaduna, Port Harcourt and Warri Zones, Comrades Tajudeen Abubakar, Joseph Dagogo-Jack, and Blessing Dafinone in a jointly signed press statement, said on Friday that incessant use of phrases and words that could destabilize the country on a matter that is already being handled legally was a reflection of failed leadership, arrogance, and lack of men of honour at the helms of the union’s affairs in NUPENG, stressing that PTD members are not tools for economic sabotage and national destabilization.

The statement reads in parts:

“We are strongly in solidarity with NLC President, Comrade Joe Ajaero but take exception to a ploy by Afolabi Olawale the General Secretary of NUPENG whose attempt was to portray PTD members as tools for economic sabotage and national destabilization. We however commend the NLC leadership for allowing the industrial impasse to be handled by a legal luminary, Mr Femi Falana who is a genius in handling human rights violations and abuses. PTD will completely dissociate itself from selfish and unpatriotic adventurers who only exploit every opportunity to sabotage the nation in the guise of defending the leader of a labour centre.

“This is a wrong time for strike mongers to flex muscles and further cripple the socio-economic activities of our country in the midst of fuel scarcity, hunger, famine and hardship. This is also a deliberate action to create panic, shop for relevance and look for an opportunity to gain presence on the pages of newspapers. No one will be allowed to use the name of the union to destroy Nigeria and derail the progress being made by the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR.

“NUPENG National Secretariat should rather concentrate on how to obey court rulings/verdicts and allow peace and harmony to reign in PTD by creating a chance for popular and legitimate leaders to run the affairs of PTD national leadership under Comrade Osesua without rancor. The pitiful posture of our parent union which has been solely hijacked by the General Secretary, Afolabi Olawale, who is known for engaging in forum shopping, blackmail, contempt of Court and use of sentiments to foist on Government, NNPC and other stakeholders in the oil and gas industry has been completely decimated through legal instruments, this is our joy and a resounding victory for us.

“Once again PTD must be allowed to breathe such that its members could peacefully and conveniently be proud and better for what they are doing as they continue to traverse the length and breadth of Nigeria through distribution and transportation of Petroleum products and supply of gas to Nigerians in their homes, offices and factories.

“We also take this opportunity to inform all PTD members across board that we are very close to a total judicial victory, whereby things will be done by a constitutionally recognized and legitimate leadership of Comrade Lucky Osesua and Comrade Dayyabu Garga, Comrade Humble Obinna Power and others through the grace of God Almighty and the support of all our members and other relevant stakeholders including our unbiased judiciary in the temple of justice ” the statement said.