In a bold move, the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) wing of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has issued a threat to withdraw from the union. The drivers, represented by Gbenga Olawale and Adekunle Rufai of PTD, Ibadan Depot, warned that their exit would be imminent unless NUPENG’s National President, Williams Akporeha, and General Secretary, Olawale Afolabi, step down from their roles.
Expressing their discontent in a statement from Abuja, the tanker drivers revealed that protests had erupted nationwide. During the demonstrations, they adorned their trucks with plant leaves, symbolizing their dissatisfaction. The statement cautioned NUPENG and the police against interference and the constant harassment of their leaders.
The crux of their discontent lies in their assertion that President Williams lacks the necessary qualifications to lead the union. They allege that he, having served as a cook in an oil company from the formal sector, was dismissed while holding the position of the national treasurer of NUPENG. Subsequently, he was allegedly integrated into the Petrol Station Workers Union of NUPENG to facilitate his bid for the presidency, a move the drivers deem a violation of NUPENG’s constitution.
According to the Petroleum Tanker Drivers, Williams was not a recorded worker or pump attendant at the time of his candidacy, rendering him ineligible for the presidency. Moreover, they accuse him of orchestrating the placement of his associates in strategic positions to misappropriate the union’s revenue for personal gain.
In response, the drivers declared their allegiance to individuals they believe fought for their liberation, namely Lucky Osusan and Dayyab Garaga. These figures, according to the statement, paid a high price to secure the drivers’ freedom.
However, NUPENG’s General Secretary, Olawale Afolabi, countered these allegations, labeling them as false. He asserted that the faction issuing the statement did not consist of PTD members. Afolabi further explained that the leaders of the faction were apprehended and incarcerated in Kuje prison, Abuja, following an attack on NUPENG leaders, as per the court’s orders. The clash, he argued, was unrelated to the concerns raised by the PTD.
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