From Okwe Obi, Abuja
The delegates conference of Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) Branch of Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) conducted simultaneously in Ibadan and Abuja in October 2023 has been nullified by the court.
Hon. Justice O.Y. Anuwe, delivering her judgment in Abuja on Wednesday, 29 May 2024, ordered a fresh and all-inclusive election.
The judge also ruled that all suspensions and query letters against Comrade Lucky Osesua and his team, which emanated from the NUPENG secretariat and the illegal Chairman Augustine Egbon, are null and void.
The court added that the General Secretary of NUPENG, Afolabi Olawale, is not a member of PTD and should act within the limits of extant rules.
It is recalled that Augustine Egbon was elected PTD National Chairman in Ibadan while Comrade Lucky Osesua emerged in Abuja. Both union leaders have been laying claim to the supremacy and legitimacy of the seat since last year.
However, citing numerous legal infractions orchestrated by the leadership of NUPENG, especially the General Secretary, Afolabi Olawale, PTD subsequently approached the court to seek redress.
The Tanker Drivers also filed a contempt case against Afolabi Olawale for resisting an order of the court.
Counsel to PTD, who filed the “notice of consequences of disobedience to order of court” before the National Industrial Court in Abuja, also asked the court to slam appropriate sanctions on NUPENG to stamp its authority that the law is no respecter of persons, adding that the union has serially disobeyed court rulings with impunity and total disrespect for the temple of justice.
Records also revealed that the court accordingly ruled that no national executives of PTD, including Comrade Lucky Osesua, Comrade Gayyab Garga, Comrade Humble Obinna Power, Adebisi Akinlolu and others, should not be sacked from office and that the status quo should be maintained. However, this was equally flaunted, yet Afolabi still authorised an illegal unit election which was purportedly held at the NNPC Port Harcourt refinery.
This flagrant disobedience to court orders has created a serious crisis in PTD which, to date, is yet to be resolved.
Attempts to get the reaction of the union leaders proved abortive as their phones were unavailable.