The National leadership of Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) branch of NUPENG, on Sunday, told Augustine Egbon, Afolabi Olawale, Williams Akporeha and Salimon Akanni Oladiti that their plot to remove Comrade Lucky Osesua and Comrade Yusuf Dayyabu Garga as Chairman and Deputy Chairman respectively of the PTD would fall though.
The PTD described the plot as “an enterprise in futility.”
The National Chairman, Osesua and the National Secretary, Humble Power Obinna of the PTD branch in a jointly signed statement on Sunday, advised NUPENG leadership to stop chasing shadows and concentrate on letting lasting peace reign in the union.
They said that parading Augustine Egbon as the National Chairman of PTD was an affront on the side of the law and other constitutional guidelines known by the union.
The duo also added that Gambo Tuge, who is a respected leader in PTD, remained law abiding and not a fugitive of the law and could not be labeled with unprintable names simply because he was protecting the interest of the union through legitimate and decent means recognized by the law as well as International Labour Organisation (ILO) conventions guiding trade unionism.
They also said that the election conducted in Abuja on Tuesday, 31st October, 2023, by the branch was the one recognized by law.
The Abuja election, they said, subsequently produced Osesua, Garga, Obinna, Akinlolu and other executives.
They equally stressed that those calling for fresh election had not breached any law, nor had they committed any crime.
PTD also condemned the use of Police and other coercive forces to bully them into silence while also maintaining that police cannot be cajoled to fall for their vicious antics by intimidating, victimizing, oppressing and frustrating them through blackmail, forum chopping/trumped-up charges and propaganda.
The statement read, “Our attention has again been drawn to a misleading report populated in the media by elements who are against the progress and success of NUPENG as well as petroleum tanker drivers branch of the Union and these individuals are clearly known as Afolabi Olawale (General Secretary), Williams Akporeha (President), Otunba Salimon Akanni Oladiti (National Trustee) and Augustine Egbon.
“They cannot foist on the rest of us Egbon as the National Chairman; it is not only illegal but also totally disgraceful to what trade unionism stands for and the rule of law. Moreover, the Union is bigger than anyone. The ILO conventions and other extant rules and ethics are very clear about this.
“Those seeking to harass, intimidate or trying to remove Comrade Lucky Osesua and Comrade Yusuf Dayyabu Garga from the position of National Chairman and Deputy National Chairman respectively, are engaging in what we can call an enterprise in futility because they were validly elected by the great and hardworking members of PTD as stipulated in the union’s rules, guidelines and by-laws.
“Our election duly conducted in Abuja on Tuesday, 31st October, 2023, is the one recognized by law which subsequently produced Osesua, Garga, Obinna, Akinlolu, and other executives. The illegal leadership under Augustine Egbon could not avail itself legitimacy by serially violating the sanctity of our Branch’s bye-law and other legal methods of conducting Delegates Conference.
“On the allegation that the rules of conducting elections were amended, the question Nigerians should ask is, is it possible for one man to change the rules one hour to the election or inauguration? Where was the amendment printed?
“Meanwhile, the previous Police invitation of all our national executives is the height of the NUPENG’s leadership’s desperation to force Osesua out of office. This has also failed, because Police as a law-abiding federal security agent, now know the truth. Extrapolating a police invitation of anyone, despite their status, is itself an invitation to lawlessness and anarchy, which permeated the long but ineffective rule of Afolabi and his ilk in NUPENG.
“Police cannot be cajoled to fall for their vicious antics by intimidating, victimizing, oppressing and frustrating us, Afolabi, Williams and Oladiti attempt to blackmail us and engage in forum shopping/trumped-up charges and propaganda had failed ab initio. They should stop chasing shadows.
“Similarly Gambo Tuge who is a respected member of the union is not a fugitive of the law, he is law abiding, calling him unprintable names will not change anything and his position that there is need for an election to be conducted in PTD is not an error or aberration therefore such legitimate move cannot be criminalised under any guise.
“Permit us to also put on record that the Federal ministry of Labour and Employment tried to serve as an arbiter in this matter to create lasting peace, but NUPENG leadership refused to honour an invitation to broker truce. The elders and veterans of our union (past General Secretaries and Presidents) also called for a meeting; these purported leaders also did not show up, which only shows that they are benefiting from current crisis at the expense of the members, staff members and other stakeholders. READ ALSO:
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“We therefore urge all members of our branch across the four zones to remain law abiding while we also assure them of victory which is near. We would not rest on our oars but will remain resolute to grant freedom and dignity to them all in the nick of time.
“We further use this medium to call on all law enforcement agents in the country, including Police and DSS to give closer look to NUPENG and ensure that sanity is restored and forthwith stop Afolabi, Akporeha and Oladiti from giving strength to an impostor and stooge who came in through a kangaroo election in Ibadan against the will of our members.
“We maintain our clarion call that PTD should be allowed to breathe and survive.
“Thank you all and long live PTD.”
