News Investigators/ The newly elected National Chairman of the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD), Comrade Lucky Osezua has demanded the immediate resignation of President and General Secretary of Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, (NUPENG) Williams Akporeha and Afolabi Olawale.
PTD, in a signed by Preye Odede-Graham accused the duo of Mr. Akporeha and Mr. Olawale of sundry malfeasances which according to it are at “variance with the extant rules of the union and human dignity.”
Specifically, PTD said the emergence of its new leadership “is signaling a total end to all forms of manipulation, extortion, intimidation and harassment by the Williams Akporeha and Afolabi Olawale led administration in the union.
“Our National Chairman’s broadcast is not ordinary, but firmly rekindles the hope for the hopeless. 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 non complying businessmen.
“We have observed that the interest of drivers is being compromised and worst still, relegated to the background and most annoying is that these hardworking members of PTD are being tagged common drivers. We are grateful to God that this has been put to a total halt under the leadership of Comrade Lucky Osesua.
The drivers union alleged that Mr. Olawale displayed “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 mind the secretariat has now turned himself into a monster,” it claimed.
“Another shameful act which we discovered was that some vicious leaders in NUPENG as currently constituted used operatives of Police and DSS to hoodwink and harass our people to support them against their wish. Let me also announce that we will challenge all these shenanigans in Court and expose everyone involved in this arbitrary use of state powers.
“My sincere advice to Williams and Afolabi is to resign their positions forthwith to enable us to redirect our union, they’ve lost every essence of trade union leadership. They should also turn-in themselves to proper Police investigation and hand over the union’s properties in their possessions.
“Afflilate members of NUPENG should pass a vote of no confidence on the duo. They have failed us. The time is now for NUPENG to start charting a new course to enable us to face and mitigate the challenges of deregulation in the petroleum sector.
“The PTD election shows clearly that the duo can not be able to handle the affairs of NUPENG. The union is too big for them. They should honorably resign immediately, especially now that their reputation is dwindling woefully.
“Meanwhile, to our surprise the duo and their ilk dishonorably sneaked into the premises of the PTD secretariat like a thief in the night to display shame and proof that they are unrepentant in abuse of office and flagrant disregard for the rule of law. Elders of the union have been relegated to the background for trying to ask relevant questions on the well-being of the members, but Afolabi has consistently warned these elders to keep their advice.
“Our past leaders and elders who have suffered for the union are dying in the hospitals and seeking help, but the current leadership of NUPENG turned deaf ears to their calls. We therefore appeal to all our members 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 must be hurriedly to stop. United we stand.”
