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Tag: Comrade Lucky Osesua

  • Fresh Crisis Rocks NUPENG As Stakeholders Call For Resignation Of President, General Secretary

    Fresh Crisis Rocks NUPENG As Stakeholders Call For Resignation Of President, General Secretary

    The embattled President and General Secretary of Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), Comrades Williams Akporeha and Afolabi Olawale have taken fresh swipe from Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) just as the Branch stakeholders called for the duo’s immediate resignation in order to give room for fresh air and stability in the Union.

    The latest call was contained in a statement signed by one Comrade Preye Odede-Graham on Sunday, September 21, 2025, on behalf of PTD elders and stakeholders, Comrades (Alhaji) Tajudeen Abubakar (Kaduna Zone), Chief (Comrade.) Edafe Osas (Warri Zone), Comrade Joseph Dagogo-Jack (JP) (Port Harcourt Zone) and Comrade Kolade Fadahunsi-Ojelabi (Lagos Zone).

    This latest onslaught came on the heels of standoff and industrial disputes between Dangote Refinery, NUPENG, the Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN), the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), and other industry Associations. The Unions alleged that the refinery was preventing Tanker Drivers from joining the Union, an erroneous assertion which PTD described as “tissue of lies from the pit of hell”.

    PTD blamed the recent woes befalling NUPENG on the lacklustre attitude of the union’s President as well as intimidation, victimization and harassment of the members of PTD by the General Secretary which is at variance with the extant rules of the union as well as human dignity.

    PTD maintained that they no longer wanted to be used as attack dogs against the federal government, especially President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and other players in the industrial ecosystem.

    They lampooned leaders of NUPENG over their failure to hail the tenacity of Dangote Refinery for standing against all odds to defeat the process pressure and market disruption with his 650,000 bpd capacity alongside with the 4000 CNG trucks tankers and 6000 truck cargoes totalling 10000 trucks costing 2trillion Naira to move the products to the consumers at no cost, with value added of over 40,000 jobs capacity.

    They also begged President Tinubu to ensure high tariffs increase to discourage fuel importation and add increased crude supply to Dangote Refinery with a license for oil exploration. They further advise Mr President to nationalise oil wells so as to allow for proper dredging, as the majority of licensed sites were desolate and moribund.

    The aggrieved PTD stakeholders in their plea accused Afolabi and Williams of carrying out activities that were contemptuous of the Court, which would further plunge them into shame and legal punishment, especially the collection of illegal levies and dues at various depots, including Dangote refinery. The tanker drivers added that NUPENG leaders should be ready to pay back with interest or risk going to jail. PTD stated that if the duo were allowed to continue in office, their joint presence could drag the union into total extinction, as well as local and international disgrace.

    They begged law enforcement agencies, anti graft agents, industry regulators, Federal government, stakeholders in trade union, media, civil society, legal profession, etc, to support them to commence the re-engineering of NUPENG by showing Afolabi and Williams the exit doors from the union so that the petroleum industry could get the much anticipated liberation.

    “The era of fresh air has arrived and will permanently stay in the PTD Branch and also in NUPENG as a whole. This shift will help to signal a total end to all forms of manipulation, extortion, intimidation and harassment by the Williams Akporeha and Afolabi Olawale-led administration in the union. The General Secretary and the President should smell the coffee and resign honourably to avoid bringing further shame to their families and the Union. These are people who would claim they go for meetings in Abuja, Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna to advance workers’ welfare and good condition of service only to be seen at different Clubs and hotels with different women to satisfy their fantasies. They have outlived their relevance, so they should leave now that their reputation is dwindling woefully.

    “Their much-expected exit will practically rekindle the hope for the hopeless in the union. Petroleum Tanker Drivers are not mere servants for some egocentric leaders of NUPENG who only use us as attack dogs against the federal government and other industry investors especially Dangote. We have observed that the interest of drivers is being compromised and, worse still, relegated to the background, and most annoying is that these hardworking members of PTD are being tagged “common drivers”, called “illiterates”, and in some instances “public goats”. We are grateful to God that this has been put to a halt under the leadership of Comrade Lucky Osesua, his deputy, Dayyabu Garga, and Comrade Dr Humble Obinna Power.

    “Emperical evidence has also revealed that Afolabi Olawale is one person whose interest is to enrich himself and display a high level of heinous activity to subjugate other union members and staff. A salary earner of NUPENG, whose primary scope of work is to manage the secretariat, has now turned himself into a monster. Under him, all NUPENG positions have prize tags, all for his selfish interest. The freedom mantra has started; we thank God, and the courageous men that kick-started this struggle. May the almighty God protect and bless them all.

    “Affiliate members of NUPENG have commendably begun the passing of a vote of no confidence on the President and General Secretary, as it is widely confirmed that these individuals have embarrassingly failed the union. The time is now for NUPENG to start charting a new course to enable members and staff to face and mitigate the challenges of deregulation in the petroleum sector and as well consolidate the “new, acceptable and sustainable normal” that Dangote Refinery and MRS have brought to the oil and gas sector.

    “This is also a testament to the success of President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, Nigeria’s Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) and also the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) on energy efficiency and the 2030 Agenda. With all these attendant feats, Dangote deserves all the accolades. Therefore, no one should listen to any nuisance being constituted by any group under the guise of a trade union. But the good thing is that Nigerians can no longer be deceived as they now know who the real economic saboteurs in the country are, and impressively relevant security agencies are dealing with them accordingly. No one is bigger than the rule of law.

    “On this note, we therefore appeal to all our members in PTD and others in various branches not to be despaired, let us join hands together and win the battle against these common enemies and stop them once and for all, these multidimensional nonsense and slavery in the union must be hurriedly put to stop. United, we stand against every economic saboteur and enemies of progress in Nigeria’s economic powerhouse” the statement said.

  • PTD Berates NUPENG For Frustrating Peace Talks With Dangote, Tells Govt, Organized Labour To Be Chary

    PTD Berates NUPENG For Frustrating Peace Talks With Dangote, Tells Govt, Organized Labour To Be Chary

    Petroleum Tanker Drivers have advised local and international Labour organizations, industry regulator, including Ministry of Labour and Employment not to be cajoled by the antics or sentiments of NUPENG who was currently painting a more dramatic picture in the fray by accusing Dangote Refinery’s representatives of deliberately frustrating the ongoing peace process initiated by the Nigerian Government.

    This advice was contained in a jointly signed statement on Tuesday by stakeholders of PTD Branch of NUPENG, namely, Comrades (Alhaji) Tajudeen Abubakar (Kaduna Zone), Chief (Mrs.) Blessing Dafinone (Warri Zone), Comrade Joseph Dagogo-Jack (JP) (Port Harcourt Zone) and Comrade Kolade Fadahunsi-Ojelabi (Lagos Zone).

    It would be recalled that the peace talks, which started Monday evening, September 8, ended around 12 a.m. in the early hours of Tuesday without any fruitful resolution. While NUPENG insisted that workers in Dangote Refinery must unionise, Dangote officials said union membership should be made optional.

    NUPENG had last week directed its members to halt petroleum product distribution nationwide from September 8, over what it considered as Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals’ “anti-labour practices”. At the centre of the dispute was Dangote Refinery’s purported insistence that drivers recruited for its 10,000 compressed natural gas (CNG) trucks will not be allowed to join any trade union.

    The statement reads in parts:

    “Without prejudice Dangote refinery and its business partners have been so magnanimous by honouring the call of the peace mediators, comprising of Ministry of Labour and Employment, industry regulators and leaders of Organized Labour when it conceded to the plea that refinery workers can be unionised, but unfortunately NUPENG insisted workers in the Refinery facilities must be unionised by force and their membership must never be made optional.

    “My candid advice to the local and international Labour organizations as well as the country’s Ministry of Labour and Employment is that they should never fall for the crocodile cry of NUPENG’s leadership as it is presently constituted. Organisations like IndustriALL Global Union, TUC, NLC, ITUC-Africa, NARRO, PENGASSAN, PETROAN, NOGASSA, CANMPSSAN, TGTSSAN, Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) etc, should not fall for the antics, manipulations and sentiments of NUPENG. There is no truth in the propaganda pushed by NUPENG that Dangote Group and MRS Holdings are engaged in anti-union practices, monopolistic agenda, or indecent industrial relations strategies.

    “These Labour organizations should ask NUPENG while it is currently frustrating, harassing, intimidating, sacking, arresting, suspending and suing to court both its paid staff and members over trumped-up charges. As we speak NUPENG took the national executives of PTD led by Comrade Lucky Osesua to Court, they are also in Court with the National Treasurer of the Union, Alex Agwanwor who they criminally violated his fundamental rights, recorded his private conversation with his friends and families, prevented him to freely associate and communicate.

    “NUPENG even maligned the image of the union when their leaders were slammed with contempt charges by the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) and other courts of competent jurisdiction. The national leaders of NUPENG are currently faced with more than 50 court cases, not with Government or any organization in the industry though, but with their own staff and members. NUPENG is also fighting Direct Trucking Company Drivers Association (DTCDA) and the Association of Distributors and Transporters of Petroleum Products, (ADITOP), and these are also critical stakeholders in the oil and gas sector. Is that not ridiculous? That is the same union accusing Dangote of monopoly. These double standards should be condemned in its entirety.

    “We need to be fair as Nigerians by appreciating how Dangote group has outlined the major infrastructure moves in the country’s business climate, including the Petroleum industry downstream sector. Infact Dangote should be celebrated for taking the risk of purchasing 10,000 environmentally-friendly CNG trucks to make distribution of petroleum products seamless, effective and efficient without hiccups.

    “Those trucks will undoubtedly reduce the cost of diesel. They will reduce the fumes that come from burning diesel, will ensure faster delivery/journey times, less accidents, and guarantee supply reliability.

    “There is nothing like monopolisation in Dangote’s business, what we can see is better regulation and supply efficiency, The question Nigerians should ask is that have we had disruption since 2024? Dangote is practically taking off the entire Sub-Saharan African market. He exported 1.3 billion litres of petrol in June and July. For the first time, he exported petrol to the United States of America. The performance of the refinery speaks for itself, So the question is, has there been reliability of supply and assurance of supply? Dangote is supplying the market and there’s reliability. Government should consider the option of proscribing NUPENG instead of listening to their gibberish.”

  • PTD Accuses NUPENG’s Three-Man Reconciliation Committee Of Bias, Vows To Continue Litigations

    PTD Accuses NUPENG’s Three-Man Reconciliation Committee Of Bias, Vows To Continue Litigations

    The protracted leadership crisis in the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) Branch of NUPENG has lingered into the 5th month of 2025, with the Union taking a swipe at the parent body for teleguiding and coercing a three-man Committee which sought to reconcile NUPENG leadership and the aggrieved members of the PTD faction, led by Comrade Lucky Osesua.

    PTD had on Friday, 2nd May, 2025, exactly one week after responding to the three-man committee’s recommendations, dated 31st March 2025, rejected the entire recommendations presented by the committee, headed by a former President of NUPENG, Comrade Samuel Dada, with a former General Secretary, Comrade Adamu Song, and Comrade Chief, Sir, Fyneface Omeme a former National Treasurer serving as members.

    The leaders of the Tanker Drivers on Friday, May 2, 2025 in a jointly signed statement by Comrade Lucky Osesua, Comrade Dayyabu Garga, and Comrade (Dr) Humble Obinna Power faulted what they described as double standards which according to them contravened the ethics and principles of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) which is to be neutral and unbiased.

    They vowed to fight the injustice with temperance, adding that they disapproved outright, the attempt to impose on the majority of PTD members a botched, discriminatory and non-inclusive National Delegates’ Conference that had no legality in law and no iota of legitimacy in the moral sense.

    The PTD statement reads in parts: “We were shocked, absolutely disappointed, and stricken with disbelief that Comrade Samuel Dada led three-man Committee could unimaginably dismiss the collective essence of PTD, capriciously behaved like an autocrat, disregarded the basic principle of Alternative Dispute Resolution which is to be neutral and unbiased. They did 100% opposite of what they told Comrade Lucky Osesua and his group that they would do to resolve the lingering crisis in the Union which is now one year and seven months old. In the words of the committee members, they assured us that there would be ‘No Victor, No Vanquished’; and they added that ‘You will win some and lose some, while the other party will win some and lose some’.

    “There are several unanswered questions in the Committee’s recommendations. In the first instance, what was the root cause of the crisis; was it identified and resolved? What led to the nullifications of the two previous elections conducted by NUPENG on June 30th 2022, and 31st October 2023? Did NUPENG comply with the judgements of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, Yenagoa Division of 24th July, 2023, and that of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, Abuja of 29th May 2024, to conduct an election that will be all-inclusive and non-discriminatory on any account, as ordered by the Court? Why was the Kangaroo election of 3rd July 2024 in Lagos conducted under watertight security and in a haste, contrary to the 3 months notification as enshrined in the PTD Bye-Laws?

    “Since the history of the Union, this Williams Akporeha’s leadership as NUPENG President, and Afolabi Olawale as General Secretary is the worst duo ever. They are the only NUPENG leadership that has harassed, arrested, and detained its members in different Police stations, took them to different Courts, and remanded them in both Keffi and Kuje Prisons for no justifiable reason. What a negative and terrible legacy! The members that NUPENG has a constitutional mandate to protect their rights and improve on their welfare, are the same members NUPENG is both prosecuting and persecuting; wonders shall never end!

    “Similarly, the Committee was also seen to be thanking NUPENG leadership for “Resources made available, and other logistical support” to carry out the assignment given to them, which overtly contradicted their claims of being independent and unbiased in the exercise. We are also appalled to see the report of a three-man Committee being signed by four persons, the fourth individual Mr. Prosper Akrai being a staff of NUPENG working directly under the General Secretary of NUPENG Mr Afolabi Olawale. Part of the recommendations even urged Comrade Lucky Osesua and his team to apologize individually and collectively, in a written form to the Union’s leadership, and as well copy the three-man reconciliation committee for committing no crime; when the matter is still pending before the courts. This is absurd and ridiculous, to say the least.

    “The Committee also didn’t deem it necessary to involve any top leader or member of the PTD Branch (past or still serving), in the reconciliation process; this could be likened to “discussing the issues of medical doctors, and inviting only engineers; or shaving a man’s head in his absence”. They completely ignored the sobering voices in PTD calling for equity, fairness and justice. They also failed to demonstrate the requisite gravitas and the innate democratic accommodation of good leaders and elders as they hastily ignored everyone and purportedly legitimized what has been universally condemned as a flawed PTD National Delegates Conference, while also setting aside the positions of the Temple of Justice which abinitiio gave a patent direction.

    “Despite various petitions emanating from different aggrieved parties and numerous litigations as a result injustice and other brazen infractions orchestrated by NUPENG’s leadership, the Committee deliberately disregarded various voices of reason and worst still exonerated the same individuals who are the real architects of the crisis in the Union. It is also painful to see the Committee casting aside cumulative weight of evidence, hastened in contemptuous indifference to the truth, jettisoned what is right and just, flung away the constitutional pivot of our Union which is anchored on equity, justice, and fairness doctrine, and more worrisome, violating the principles of Alternative Dispute Resolution. This is indeed sad and very disappointing.

    “We are dismayed, sickened and embarrassed that there is a desperate attempt to further destabilise PTD and render the Union inconsequential in the scheme of things. Let there be no doubt about our resolve to challenge this grave injustice at the Temple of Justice, the case having been adjourned ‘sine dine’ to the 20th of May 2025, for either a report of settlement or continuation of litigation. Since settlement has failed, we are heading back to the Court until we get justice and freedom from our oppressors.

    “The Committee spoke so much on the supremacy of the Union’s constitution, but they failed to address the gross violation of the same constitution by the General Secretary of NUPENG, Mr. Afolabi Olawale who abandoned both the provisions of the PTD Branch Bye-Laws and the NUPENG Constitution regarding electoral matters, but created electoral guidelines that is alien and obnoxious to both the PTD Bye-laws, and NUPENG Constitution in order to disenfranchise some eligible Comrades who were not his anointed candidates, and of course this was the very genesis of the crisis in the Union.

    “We are fully persuaded that there is a well planned, premeditated attempt to hand over PTD to fifth columnists whose mission is to “reap where they did not sow”; whose purpose is shrouded in an ultimate goal that appears to be an attempt to weaken our Branch, extort and milk us dry; and serve the interests of a selected few who are desperate, mindless and tactless. Their mode of operation is “Divide and Rule”. As leaders of good conscience, we would resist every form of injustice and wickedness done to us, including crippling the personal businesses of our members, and unlawful suspensions, for almost two years despite the Court judgement of May 29th 2024 which nullified both elections conducted in Ibadan and Abuja on the 31st of October 2023.

    “NUPENG leadership as currently constituted is obviously playing a very dangerous pattern of politics to elbow out the bonafide members and key leaders of PTD from the high table at the Union’s conclave. Let us note here that PTD is “the goose that lays the golden eggs”. It is most unfortunate that these same oppressors have pushed out all notable and dedicated veterans of the Branch; they’re still battling with Comrade Lucky Osesua and his followers, they are now targeting to push out the major stakeholders of the PTD family, in order to have absolute control of the PTD Branch; this will not stand and we hope that NUPENG leadership understands what it means to be sitting on a timed nuclear bomb.

    “We the esteemed leaders of PTD are warning that if these recommendations are not urgently reviewed, reversed, and reconsidered, it will definitely rubbish the reputation and integrity of the highly respected members of the NUPENG Elders Consultative Forum from where the reconciliation committee was set up. We shall therefore continue this struggle until the wrongs are rectified, and until justice eventually prevails. We also use this valid opportunity to appeal to all our members in all the four Zones of PTD in Nigeria to remain calm, peaceful, and law abiding, and we truly assure them that we won’t disappoint or fail them,” PTD noted.

  • PTD Leadership Commiserates With Niger State Govt, Families Of Victims Over Tanker Explosion

    PTD Leadership Commiserates With Niger State Govt, Families Of Victims Over Tanker Explosion

    The Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) Branch of NUPENG has expressed profound sorrow over the tragic tanker explosion that occurred at Dikko Junction in Niger State, claiming several lives and many others injured as a result of deplorable roads infrastructure and strange attitudes of some citizens who were scooping the spilled product.

    PTD in a statement jointly signed by its National leadership, Comrade Lucky Osesua, Comrade Dayyabu Garga, Comrade (Chief) Monday Moudebelu (ONWA) and Comrade (Dr) Humble Obinna Power, on Monday, January 20, 2025 said an accident of such magnitude have collateral consequences, affecting not only the victims and their families but the tanker drivers too and also the entire nation.

    The statement also commended President Bola Tinubu for mandating the National Orientation Agency (NOA) to launch a nationwide educational campaign for awareness about the dangers of scooping fuel from fallen tankers and the environmental risks associated with such actions.

    Continuing with its heartfelt sympathies to the government and people of Niger State, especially the families of those affected by the unfortunate incident, PTD said:

    “The tragic incident at Dikko Junction is heartbreaking and has left families and the nation in anguish, as a responsible and right-thinking organization we stand in solidarity with all those directly or indirectly affected and share in their grief. We also commend Governor Mohammed Umar Bago and other relevant emergency agencies for their quick and decisive actions, which brought some relief amid the tragedy. We also commend the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) for their swift response in contributing to the efforts that helped in minimizing the collateral damage of the accident.

    “We also pray for the repose of the lives of the deceased and a quick recovery for those injured who are still receiving treatments at both private and public hospitals. PTD is also using this occasion to humbly appeal to all relevant authorities and stakeholders in the transportation and petroleum industries to reinforce stricter safety measures in the transportation of highly inflammable materials, to avoid similar tragedies in the future and further call on the Ministry of Works to intensify its efforts in fixing all bad portions of the Federal roads to ensure safety of road users and as well protect the assets and investments of taxpayers whose livelihoods and income are dependent on road transportation.

    “PTD also found it necessary to extend our special appreciation to President Bola Tinubu (GCFR) for mandating the National Orientation Agency (NOA) to launch a nationwide educational campaign for awareness about the dangers of scooping fuel from fallen tankers and the environmental risks associated with such actions. This is really commendable of our President and we urge every Nigerian not to endanger their precious lives by scooping fuel from petrol tankers involved in accidents.

    ”It was also thoughtful of the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, for expressing his condolences to the government and people of Niger State following the devastating incident, that is the way leaders with conscience respond to such unfortunate events.

    “However, we must also note here that as worthy and caring Union leaders we often feel depressed and worried at the high records of many of our hard working drivers who have lost their limbs and other valuable human parts to accidents as a result of bad roads, and in some instances when being flagged down while on speed by overzealous law enforcement agents making our drivers lose control and skid off the road.

    ”We as well want the Federal government to look into this situation by educating our law enforcement agents not to compromise safety protocols that can adversely affect tanker drivers on wheels. On our part we would continue to maintain maximum safety standards for all our petroleum tankers loading at the depots with timely and relevant training, procedures and drills for our drivers.

    “Once again, as a socially responsible Union we are reiterating our commitment to working with governors of each state in Nigeria including FCT, to advocate for meaningful and necessary policies and programmes in the interest of the citizenry, while also appealing to them to give attention to critical infrastructure like roads and prioritizing safety, support victims, and prevent future occurrences of a ugly incident like this”, the statement concluded.

  • PTD Exposes Oladiti’s Manipulations, says his desperation of Becoming NUPENG President has destroyed the Union

    PTD Exposes Oladiti’s Manipulations, says his desperation of Becoming NUPENG President has destroyed the Union

    The National leadership crisis within the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTP) Branch of NUPENG has escalated further on Sunday, December 29, 2024 as the chieftain of the oil and gas union described the former national chairman of the Branch, Otunba Salimon Akanni Oladiti as a treacherous, selfish and manipulative union leader driven by greed.

    In a fresh media engagement at Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos, Comrade Kolade Fadahunsi-Ojelabi an elder from Lagos Zone of the PTD Branch of NUPENG, said Oladiti was only thinking about how he would become the next President of NUPENG and his desperation and inordinate ambition has weakened the strength of the Union, and has almost destroyed the legacy of the founding fathers of PTD and that of his predecessors.

    Fadahunsi-Ojelabi who held a similar press conference earlier in December (Saturday, December 7, 2024) at Transcorp hotel, Abuja, said Oladiti should be put to check before he completely run PTD aground with his “evil machinations”.

    He also chronicled how Oladiti has been exploiting the Union since he started at the Unit level of PTD in Ibadan. He added that it was high time PTD was allowed to breathe and that the impostor, Augustine Egbon cannot deliver the mandate of true and genuine leaders of PTD like Comrade Lucky Osesua, Comrade Dayyabu Garga, Comrade (Chief) Peter Moudebelu (ONWA), Comrade (Dr) Humble Obinna Power, Comrade Olabisi Akinlolu and others in that legitimate and acceptable camp.

    Oladiti was shapely lambasted for what the Tanker Drivers described as ‘demonic manipulations’ and lack of empathy and love for the drivers on wheels and Unit Executives.

    “Oladiti has become the problem of this union PTD right from day one, because if you check his history: it was from Assistant Secretary to Secretary; from Secretary to Vice Chairman and then boom; he took over as Chairman. He never wanted anyone to rule successfully after him and that was why when Lamidi took over from him as Unit Chairman in Ibadan Unit, Lamidi only managed to finish one tenure, he chased him out of that office.

    “When Solomon Kilanko took over he didn’t allow Kilanko to have peace he chased Kilanko out also and replaced him with Baba Agba. Baba Agba couldn’t espouse anything significant until he finished his tenure. Thereafter, Comrade Olabisi Akinlolu “Baba Iyesi” took over as Lagos Zonal Chairman, there was no peace for him also as Oladiti subsequently put his surrogate as the Chairman of Lagos Zone, Saheed Gbolahan Adigun who he sees as his favorite boy, meanwhile Baba Iyesi was just six months into his second tenure as Zonal Chairman.

    “Saheed and Oladiti are birds of a feather characterised with demonic manipulations. Let me take us down the memory lane, right from the time of John Osai to Tijani Zuberu, Osai never troubled Zuberu at all, after handing over to Tijani; Tijani finished his tenure and handed over to Timothy Ogbu, Tijani never troubled Timothy for a moment; when Timothy handed over to Oladiti, he never gave him issues, however Oladiti who acted like a despot never allowed Timothy and Tijani assess to the PTD secretariat especially Timothy.

    “Now Oladiti after doing almost 9 years in office doesn’t want to go, he still wants to be fully in charge, such that the union money will continue to come to his personal pocket, all in the name of becoming the National President of NUPENG after Williams Akporeha. Oladiti always prefers to have a stooge as National Chairman of PTD, someone he can remotely control under his whims and caprice.

    “Augustine Egbon was Comrade Osesua’s National Vice Chairman until the enemies of PTD planned a palace coup to remove the real men and put their stooges and surrogates to actualise their evil plans. If not God that exposed Oladiti his plan was to remain a live President of PTD but that never worked out. When he attempted it he saw that no one was with him.

    “The joy of everyone now is that God has opened the eyes of all PetroleumTanker Drivers and they can now see the evil Oladiti plotted against us. They can now see how he destroyed the unity and strength of PTD by selling it out to NUPENG because of his own selfish interests and inordinate ambition. God will judge him. This cannot continue, PTD is not his private estate or personal inheritance.

    “He has finished his tenure, and as custom demands, he should hand over all the Union’s assets and bank cheque booklets to his 1st Deputy National Chairman, Comrade Lucky Osighe Osesua from Warri Zone. Oladiti should allow PTD to stand alone and independently and as well breathe with ease. I also found joy now that our people are becoming smarter and intelligent everyday and they are beating Oladiti and his ilk to their wicked games and exposing their manipulations and evil plans against PTD as a Branch.

    “May God grant PTD victory over evil and allow Comrade Osesua to remain in power as PTD national chairman so that the core mandates and agenda of Tanker Drivers can be actualized in the nick of time and for the benefit of all. I also wish all Tanker Drivers a prosperous 2025 in good health and sound mind as they continue to traverse the length and breadth of Nigeria in the supply and distribution of petroleum products,” Fadahunsi-Ojelabi stated.

  • Tanker Drivers Sacked By NUPENG General Secretary, Afolabi Olawale Lament Ordeal

    Tanker Drivers Sacked By NUPENG General Secretary, Afolabi Olawale Lament Ordeal

    As controversy rages over the sack of over 70 tanker drivers by the General Secre­tary of Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), Afolabi Olawale and endorsed by the President, Williams Akporeha, the affected individuals have taken to various platforms to express their displeasure.

    This development came barely 24 hours before the official commissioning of the newly built NUPENG National Secretariat, known as NUPENG Tower, which is scheduled to take place at Jibowu, Lagos, on Wednesday, December 4, 2024.

    These tanker drivers were the ones driving the trucks belonging to the national chairman of the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) Branch of NUPENG, Comrade Lucky Osesua and his team of executives, including Comrade Garga Dayyabu, Comrade Olabisi Akinlolu, Comrade Emmanuel Isele and others.

    The grossly hapless drivers, devastated and currently in abject poverty are now telling their stories and expressing their disappointments in NUPENG, especially the General Secretary for being the architect of their ordeal.

    They were also surprised that a Union expected to protect their jobs was the one that has deliberately rendered them unemployed without recourse to empathy or any form of assistance or compensation to cushion the effects of the hardship they are presently going through.

    One of the affected drivers in Lagos, Kehinde Dada, a.k.a. Baba Ibeji, lamented that after serving the union for years, his job was abruptly stopped, because a letter which the General Secretary of NUPENG signed directed that trucks belonging to Comrade Lucky Osesua and his team should no longer lift fuel in all the loading depots in Nigeria without putting into account the consequences such action will have on the affected Petroleum Tanker Drivers whose jobs will be terminated. According to him, while on the job, he acquired his first and second degrees in Library and Information Science, but Afolabi has dashed his hope of progressing more in his life and career.

    Similarly, another driver from Sapele who gave his name as Kingsley said:

    “The action taken by the Afolabi Olawale against the Osesua faction of PTD was rather harsh and drastic. I personally don’t have any other job. I feed my family with the driving job. The leadership of NUPENG under Afolabi as the General Secretary does not portray the traits of a good leader. A good leader should be able to seek advice, but he is going about this issue wrongly. By now peace should have been restored in PTD, the two factions ought to have been reconciled, but the whole place is currently in serious turmoil, with many court cases here and there, and drivers are seriously suffering, some are in hospitals, some have even died. These people in NUPENG should know that God will reward them and their generations the same coin they served others,” he lamented.

    Alhaji Mukhtar Mohammed, also one of the affected taker drivers in Kaduna narrated his experience:

    “It is disgusting and embarrassing to see that the one-time Trade Union which was organized and brought to limelight by the late Chief (Comrade) Frank Ovie Kokori with the objective to protect the interest and foster better working conditions for the blue-collar employees in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector would come this low. I really paid my dues in PTD, it is so unfortunate that Afolabi will treat me and my other colleagues like this. I am now managing my family with Okada driving, with very low returns.

    “Somebody should come to our aid and take us out of this sad and avoidable situation. One man has messed up both PTD and NUPENG. The stake in PTD, particularly access to administrative, operational and economic incentives and other opportunities should not be left in the hands of stooges who want to siphon the common patrimony of PTD under the whimps and caprice of overzealous leaders in NUPENG, that is why concerned members of PTD of good conscience are saying enough is enough. Comrads Lucky Osesua, Comrade (Hon.) Dayyabu Yusuf Garga, Comrade (Chief) Peter Moudebelu (ONWA), Comrade Humble Obinna Power, Comrade Olabisi Akinlolu etc, are capable of driving the affairs of PTD and I pray that God will restore them back to the National office of PTD as our leaders.

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

    “It is not about building a 7-storey Tower with no economic significance, these leaders should do better for the members and make their lives more meaningful and abundant. We also learnt from good authority that the PTD’s money that was used to erect NUPENG Tower during Comrade Salimon Akanni Oladiti’s tenure when he was our national chairman was made possible because he is eyeing to be NUPENG President after the tenure of Williams Akporeha, meanwhile, the General Secretary of NUPENG Afolabi who is not a member of PTD but a paid staff of NUPENG is also eyeing the exalted position of NUPENG President, and secretly planning to resign six months to the end of his tenure in April 2026. I have never seen this type of desperation in my life.

    “NUPENG now totters towards a dangerous and avoidable canyon of dry bones, as its staff members and branch members can no longer recognise their union which has been battered by men and women from the dark womb of time”, Mohammed who spoke in tears stated.

    Charles Ibe, on his part, a driver also who lives in Port Harcourt and father of five, narrated, “I am a father of 5, two of my children are no longer in school because I no longer have a truck to drive. Since 2023 when this PTD crisis started its been hell for all tanker drivers who are driving trucks belonging to Comrade Lucky Osesua. It’s a huge surprise to see that the leadership of NUPENG, particularly the General Secretary, Afolabi Olawale, grounded all the trucks belonging not just to the National Chairman of PTD and the dep­uty Chairmen but also to other national executives of PTD who belong to Comrade Osesua’s camp. NUPENG also stopped all the trucks that are supposed to take products to their gas stations.

    “This oppressive leadership style is very strange to us and we urge the government and the public to take note of this flagrant abuse of power. We are tired of seeing wicked people in positions of authority in NUPENG, instead of creating jobs and protecting jobs, you are now the one forcefully pushing people into joblessness, abject poverty, desolation and pain. We want the government to urgently intervene in PTD and NUPENG affairs and help restore sanity.”

    Charles further said, “In the interest of industrial peace and harmony, it is urgently expected of the Presidency, Ministry of Labour and Employment, Department of State Services, Police, National Security Adviser, Ministry of Petroleum Resources, National Assembly (Senate & House of Representatives), Civil Society Organisations, NLC, MOMAN, NARTO, TUC, DAPMAN, Elders/Veterans of NUPENG and all other critical stakeholders to look into the current execrable situation in the PTD Branch of NUPENG and find it a lasting peace, before it spirals out of control and set the country’s economy into an avoidable implosion.”

  • Stop Making Capital Out Of Helicopter Crash, Redeem Your Image & End The Cracks In the Union- PTD Tells NUPENG

    Stop Making Capital Out Of Helicopter Crash, Redeem Your Image & End The Cracks In the Union- PTD Tells NUPENG

    The Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) Branch of NUPENG has asked the President and General Secretary of the parent body to concentrate their energies on redeeming their battered image and putting an end to the lingering crisis in the union instead of making capital out of the misfortunes of oil and gas workers who were involved in the helicopter crash last week.

    A 79-year-old elder, Comrade Joseph Dagogo-Jack, in the Port Harcourt Zone of PTD, made the charge in a statement issued Sunday evening in Abuja.

    It was widely published that the unfortunate incident occurred at 11:22 a.m along the waterways in Port Harcourt on Thursday, October 24, 2024 when the helicopter, a Sikorsky SK76 with registration 5NBQG and operated by East Wind Aviation, took off from Port Harcourt Military Base (DNPM) to the FPSO – NUIMS ANTAN oil rig. A total of eight persons were on board but were all feared dead.

    According to Dagogo-Jack, “I was in faraway Spain to see my dentist when my personal assistant sent me a press release from NUPENG wherein the leadership of the Union commiserate with the families of oil and gas workers who lost their lives in a helicopter crash on Thursday in Port Harcourt. There is nothing wrong in that and as an individual who believes in the sanctity of life, I solemnly say may the souls of the departed continue to rest in perfect peace.

    “However what is expected of NUPENG’S General Secretary, Olawale Afolabi and the President, Williams Akporeha is to jointly concentrate on how to unite the union, especially PTD which is the only viable and surviving Branch; they should fix the cracks within it and drop all cases in court and allow a fresh breath by restoring leadership legitimacy on Comrade Lucky Osesua, Comrade Dayyabu Garga, Comrade (Chief) Peter Moudebelu (Onwa), Comrade Dr Humble Obinna Power and others. This will ultimately restore sanity in the Union and bring about progress and prosperity, which is the popular opinion of all the members and the elders in the Union. If NUPENG’s leadership can swallow their pride and do this, their lost integrity, honour and dignity would be fully restored.

    “Issuing press releases and statements and attempting to make capital out of every event and situation in the country which has no bearing with the union’s philosophy or interest would do them no good, it is purely a misplaced priority. For example, the victims of the helicopter crash were all PENGASSAN members, and that well-organized union, has responded appropriately. NUPENG has done nothing to uphold and defend the rights of its members who have been subjected to humiliation, casualization and servitude in the oil and gas industry, but NUPENG is always quick to make public appearances on TV and making paid adverts on newspapers, on inconsequential matters and abandoning serious issues that have direct bearing on the lives and livelihoods of their members who are paying check-off-dues.

    “Within NUPENG, many staff members have been sacked through trump-up charges; some were set up, many branches are completely destroyed, no cohesion, no policy direction, no standard no principles, all the legacies of the union’s founding fathers are totally ruined by one man. It is also on record that the General Secretary, Afolabi Olawale, is always changing the Collective Bargaining Agreement of the staff, as well as the bye-laws and the constitution of the union to suit his selfish and unholy narratives. What happened to integrity? What happened to moral rectitude? Running a Union as big as NUPENG as private estate is very ridiculous to say the least.

    “It is, however, on record that Afolabi has no regard for the basic norms of human conduct. He lacks any self-awareness or self-scrutiny. He seems beyond embarrassment. The only moral and social compass he follows is his own false and fraudulent ideas about what is appropriate and inappropriate, shameful or deceitful.

    “I have said it before and will repeat it again that Afolabi has shown himself to be the brightest bulb in the box, criticising others but lacking the capacity to stomach criticism to put him on the right track, that is not leadership. So those who are associating themselves with him should have a re-think such that they would not soil their integrity and credibility in the eyes of the public, judiciary, law enforcement agencies and other industry stakeholders who are watching with keen attention and interest. May God restore stability and progress in PTD.”

  • Attempt By NUPENG To Mislead Court & Lie Under Oath Foiled As Court Fails To Sit

    Attempt By NUPENG To Mislead Court & Lie Under Oath Foiled As Court Fails To Sit

    The Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) has accused the leadership of its parent body, NUPENG of attempting to lie under oath and mislead the court through use of a witness who presented himself as someone who was purportedly assaulted in Calabar, Cross Rivers State during a peaceful National Branch Executive Council (BEC) meeting held by Comrade Lucky Osesua’s led group on 27th and 28th of September, 2024.

    The oil and gas Union described the attempt by the witness, who, in a dramatic twist, covered himself with a bandage on the instruction of those who tutored him, as headless and an infantile plot that was reckless and one that stood logic on its head. PTD added that NUPENG and their paid witness should know that “perjury qualifies as a serious crime against justice”. It is on record that several attempts through the prosecutors to revoke the bail graciously granted to Comrade Lucky Osesua and 19 others by his lordship, Hon. Justice Yusuf Halilu woefully failed.

    The “strange” witness according to PTD mysteriously appeared on Thursday, October 10, 2024 in Abuja Federal High Court during the continuation of trial of 20 PTD executives who are charged with attempted murder. But the witness who was apparently fidgeting, incoherent and lacking composure was shocked and further confused in front of those who paid him for the hatchet job, when they all saw that the trial Judge, Justice Yusuf Halilu was absent to continue the trial due to health challenges.

    While reacting to the ugly development in a chat with some journalists on Tuesday, October 15, 2024 in Port Harcourt, Rivers State at a popular hotel around Trans-Amadi Industrial Layout Road, an elder of the Union, Comrade Joseph Dagogo-Jack (JP) said every plot to circumvent justice against the interest of Comrade Lucky Osesua, Comrade Garga Dayyabu, Comrade (Chief) Peter Moudebelu (Onwa), Comrade Dr Humble Obinna Power and other national executives would never stand.

    “It is really appalling to see the leadership of NUPENG coming up with a cheap lie, in an attempt to subvert justice by lying under oath and trying to mislead the Honorable court by employing and paying a strange witness who mysteriously appeared in an open court with body covered with bandage for purportedly being assaulted in Calabar where we held our peaceful National Branch Executive Council meeting, a totally rancor-free assembly which ran smoothly for two days, between September 27th to 28th, 2024.

    “It is a big shame that the witness will be acting on the instruction of his paid masters who tutored him to commit perjury. This infamous and distasteful plot is headless, infantile, reckless, and one that stands logic on its head. The records are very clear that there was no incident of anyone being intentionally or recklessly inflicted with any bodily harm, not even altercation or heated arguments whatsoever, ensued between anyone throughout our BEC meeting in Calabar. NUPENG and its paid witness should know that perjury qualifies as a serious crime against justice and the consequences are very grievous under our criminal law. Statements given under oath are expected to carry truthfulness.

    “It is on record that we even wrote officially through our National Secretary, Comrade (Dr) Humble Obinna Power, notifying and inviting all security agencies consisting of the Commissioner of Police, Cross River State Police Command, the AIG NPF Zone 6 headquarters Calabar, the Director DSS, and the Commandant of Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corp (NSCDC), Cross River State Command to provide us with security personnel at the venue, Monty Suites Hotel, behind NPF Zone 6 Headquarters, Murtala Mohammed Highway, Calabar, so that they can be witnesses to our harmless discussions and ensure that there was no breakdown of law and order.

    “We also communicated to them that the gathering simply sought to inform members on the current position of the leadership crisis rocking our Branch, the steps taken so far, and to calm down the tensions and anxiety hanging in the air concerning the ongoing struggle. We further admonished the law enforcement agents that the meeting was essentially to encourage our members to be peaceful and law-abiding in all their conducts, conversations, and actions. The National Secretary also signed undertakings at the office of the AIG Zone 6 Calabar and the Commissioner of Police Cross River State Command that if anything goes wrong between 8am and 11am on the meeting day that he should be held accountable; to the glory of God, nothing went wrong up till this time.

    “In addition, we told our members at the meeting about the position of the litigations and legal processes filed at the court challenging the procedures and suspensions of members and assuring them that we will do everything possible within the ambit of the law to attain our goals and defend our legitimate rights, while also ensuring that our parent union, NUPENG, does the right thing and justice is served,” Dagogo-Jack stated.