Criminal elements may infiltrate planned August protest – PTD-NUPENG expresses concern

The Petroleum Tanker Drivers Branch of Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, has expressed concerns over possible infiltration of criminal elements in the planned August 1st mass protest.

The Union said the youth who are the brain behind the protest and those who made themselves available for the protest may be unaware of criminal elements’ contrary intention of turning the protest into anarchy.

National Chairman of the PTD- NUPENG,
Comrades Augustine Egbon raised concern in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja.

The Union leaders stated that their concerns were at the backdrop of an online report attributed to a member of the Union, Comrade Olaitan Idris, who vowed that an industrial crisis was imminent as the recent special delegates conference held in Lagos, where Comrades Augustine Egbon and Oluchi Chinagorom were elected as the national chairman and national secretary.

He also demanded for a fresh election to forestall a major industrial crisis.
But the National Chairman of the PTD- NUPENG, Comrade Augustine Egbon maintained that the declaration of impending crisis was not true and a wild claim.

Egbon declared that members across the Zones and the 150 units of the PTD- NUPENG were fully represented in the election held in Lagos with representatives of the Federal Ministry of Labour in attendance.

He alerted the security agencies to invite Comrade Olaitan whom he alleged was being used by forces bent on collaborating with masterminds of the August protest for interrogation.

He said: “There was no truth in the claim made by the so called Comrade Idris who claimed to be a member of the Union. We don’t even know him in any of our units.

“Nigerians should disregard rumours of strike by our Union. Those saying that are people planning for August protest.
” The PTD- NUPENG under my leadership are not going on strike as there was no reason for it.

“We are not going to partake in any August protest. I urge the Federal Government to fish out those issuing threat of strike at this critical period in our industry.

The PTD-NUPENG chairman restated that the election held in Lagos was done in compliance with due process.

“Duly accredited delegates voted freely voted without any molestation and they elected candidates of their choice.

We recall that those who decided to boycott the election at the last minutes actually picked Forms which they submitted to the electoral Committee.

They had earlier run to the Industrial Court in Abuja seeking for an injunction to stop the election but they were not granted.

“If they have any genuine case, they should seek redress before the National Industrial Court rather than creating panic in the industry.

“We restate that the special delegates exercise conducted in Lagos where I was elected returned as National Chairman along with fifteen others as national officers was in full compliance with the judgment of the NIC under its Lordship, Justice O Y Anuwe of the National Industrial Court, (NIC) in Abuja which on May 29, 2024, annulled previous election of the union held in Ibadan and Abuja last October.”

“The election conducted in Lagos was done with strict compliance with the NUPENG Constitution and the PTD Bye Laws.

“Nigerians should ignore the jesters parading themselves as members of our Union. They are being used by fifth columnist desperate to create panic in the country.”