Planned Nationwide Protest: ”Your Attempt To Gain Political Relevance Is Insensitive, Unpatriotic”, PTD Tells NUPENG

 

 

The National leadership of Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) Branch of Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas (NUPENG) has accused its parent body of being insensitive and opportunistic for using the planned nationwide protest as a buffer to gain a voice publicly after conducting a sham election in flagrant abuse of the guidelines laid down by the National Industrial Court of Nigeria.

 

This reaction was contained in a statement jointly signed on Sunday by the National Chairman of PTD, the deputy and national Secretary, Comrades Lucky Osesua, Dayyabu Garga and Humble Obinna.

 

The PTD national executives on behalf of the branch said, “NUPENG leadership should cover its face in shame for being insensitive and opportunistic by using the planned nationwide protest as a buffer to gain a voice in the public after conducting sham election in flagrant abuse of the guidelines laid down by the National Industrial Court of Nigeria.

 

“For the record, what Comrade Olaitan Idris canvassed in his widely publicized statement was purely about PTD affairs, it has absolutely nothing to do with the planned nationwide protest by some Nigerians on August 1, 2024. However, for NUPENG to say the organizers are unpatriotic elements working for those planning to inflict more hardship on Nigerians shows NUPENG leaders as presently constituted are the real enemies of the underdogs. It also reveals their desperation to gain relevance into a frenzied search for recognition having displayed gross incompetence in office over the years.

 

“NUPENG has willfully exacerbated a dangerous security situation through its unguarded utterances and encouragement to rogue elements within its ranks and trying to profit from further politicization of the fallout of a controversial situation in which it is complicit.

 

“This marks a desperate low for NUPENG leadership and is tantamount to a new form of trade union voodoo, which involves trying to raise political capital and sympathy from the government for their selfish purpose and gains. In view of this, we condemn in the strongest language the NUPENG’s insensitivity and opportunism.

 

“It should however be emphasised that the Federal Government had already established a more proactive mechanism and legitimate intervention in reaching out to the proponents of the nationwide protest in a most sensible and compassionate manner. In addition, NUPENG should stop being unperturbed about the welfare and security needs of the nation as evidenced in the statement credited to its National President, Comrade Williams Akporeha in silent connivance with the General Secretary, Afolabi Olawale.

 

“More importantly, Comrade Olaitan should not be vilified for stating the obvious; there was no election in Lagos on Wednesday, July 3, 2024, what transpired was a mere selection that defies all democratic principles, Augustine Egbon is clearly a product of illegality. We had our own delegates conference in Abuja on Thursday, July 4, 2024 and the legitimacy of our leadership cannot be controverted or invalidated. We have also engaged all industry stakeholders and law enforcement agents to relate with us as the only legitimate and constitutionally recognised executives of the PTD branch of NUPENG.”