Thugs assault, strip bare NUPENG General Secretary over leadership tussle in PTD branch of union

Thugs believed to be angry members of Petroleum Tanker Drivers [PTD] Branch of NUPENG on Wednesday, November 1, 2023 were seen in a viral video beating the administrative head of the parent body of the branch (General Secretary), Comrade Afolabi Olawale.

The unfortunate incident took place at the National Secretariat of PTD located at Majekodunmi Street, Utako Abuja, venue of the swearing in ceremonies of the newly-elected National Chairman, Comrade Augustine Egbon and other executive members after a successful special delegates conference held on Tuesday, October 31, 2023, in Ibadan, Oyo State.

The new chairman is said to be from Benin Unit of Warri Zonal Council of the Union.

A witness indicated that while the peaceful swearing in programme was going on, the suspected thugs forcefully entered on to the premises, and violently disrupted the process.

The video in circulation also indicated that apart from the General Secretary of NUPENG, who was assaulted, the newly- elected Chairman was also not spared. He reportedly sustained various degrees of injuries inficted on him by the irate members.

The leadership crisis rocking PTD is obviously taking a dangerous dimension, as two individuals are now claiming the national chairmanship position of the branch.

While Egbon emerged in Ibadan on Tuesday, a parallel election also held in Abuja on Tuesday where Comrade Lucky Osesua was also declared winner.

Speaking about the crisis among these blue collar oil workers, a member of the branch who is from Port Harcourt Zone said: “It is a big shame to have a General Secretary of a Union being treated like the way Afolabi was treated on Wednesday in Abuja by the union members. Why will you treat your General Secretary in such a disgraceful manner?

“He might have crossed the line, yet you can’t take laws into your own hands. Well like I told my colleagues, I think EFCC needs to investigate PTD and NUPENG as a whole as well as their financial records which over the years have been widely manipulated by the leadership of PTD and the parent body, NUPENG.

“The DSS also need to swing into action and tell the world about the rot and indiscipline in both PTD and NUPENG. But what PTD members are really saying is that they no longer want a stooge in the union, but someone who will protect their interest. The union is bigger than any individual and that is why they are showing resistance on Wednesday at the PTD Secretariat in Abuja that there will be no swearing in.

“Don’t forget that PTD by-law says delegates conference must hold in Abuja, so why must it be Ibadan? Meanwhile the union now has two factions, because another election held in Abuja at the same time on Tuesday, apart from the one in Ibadan which produced a factional national chairman with his own excos too, Comrade Lucky Osesua. What the President and the GS should have done was to conduct a reconciliation meeting or seek redress in court in the interest of peace.

“I don’t support the beating of the General Secretary who is reported to be in the hospital, I expected the aggrieved members to approach the court instead. Although there are many allegations against Afolabi of how he has been sacking people at the NUPENG Secretariat over trump-up charges, intimidation of staff and a total hijack of the union. A union that claims to be protecting jobs of its members shouldn’t be seen sacking its Secretariat staff and turning the Secretariat to slaves zone or personal empire. Enough is enough.”

Meanwhile, a message doing the rounds on the social media on Friday, which purportedly emanated from Lagos Zone of PTD said: “SELF IMPOSED LEADERS OF PETROLEUM TANKER DRIVERS SPENT SECOND NIGHT IN DETENTION.”

“The self imposed leaders of the Petroleum Tanker Drivers Branch of NUPENG that organized kangaroo Brands elections and organized assassins to viciously attacked the legitimate leaders of the Union are spending second night in detention after their arraignment in Kuje Magistrate Court on counts of attempted murder and arson.

“The trio of Lucky Osesua, Dayyabu Yusuf Garga and Humble Obinna were formerly arranged before Chief Magistrate Court 5 in Wuse Zone 2 today and further detained for further investigation by the police

“Other members of these assailants are on the run and Police authority is on their trail these include:

1. OSAHAN OSAMUYI – BENIN
2. MUSA DENNIS – PORT HARCOURT
3. WALTER OGBENI – WARRI
4. PETER MOUDEBELU – ENUGU
5 AKINLOLU OLABISI – LAGOS
6. SYLVANUS IDANWEKHAI – LAGOS
7.Godwin NWAKA – OWERRI
8. TIAMIYU OJO SIKIRU- WARRI
9 . Monday BELLO – WARRI
10. MONDAY ILESO – WARRI
11. EMMANUEL ANEGBE
12. Ibrahim Tuge – Kaduna
13. Abdul Shaibu (Tallest)
14. Steve Aliba
15 John Nzor
16. John Amajuonyi
17 . Zaria Arefbo
18. Emma Echewodor
19. Lawrence Mowetei .
From Zonal chairman,
PTD Lagos zone.”