From Uche Usim
The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has warned against attempts to destabilise its Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) branch through the activities of a faceless group parading itself as “PTD Elders.”
In a statement signed by its President, Williams Akporeha, and General Secretary, Afolabi Olawale, the union declared that the so-called forum was fraudulent, illegitimate, and unknown to its constitution.
“It has come to our attention that these unscrupulous elements are operating under the non-existent and illegitimate banner of ‘PTD Elders’ or ‘PTD Leaders’ to deceive, manipulate, mislead and create confusion within the oil and gas sector and the wider public,” the union said.
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The statement, released on Sunday, accused “unconscionable capitalists with filthy wealth” of sponsoring the group to weaken the union and blackmail its leadership. It recalled past attacks, including the assault on NUPENG leaders in Abuja on November 1, 2023, for which suspects are facing trial at the FCT High Court.
“The paid agents have engaged in failed attempts to blackmail, misinform, and manipulate the public for the sake of destabilising NUPENG and the Petroleum Tanker Drivers Branch,” the statement read.
Reaffirming its structure, NUPENG stressed that the only constitutionally recognised leadership of the PTD branch is under Comrade Augustine Egbon.
“There is no known or recognised group within the PTD-NUPENG known as ‘PTD Elders’ or ‘PTD Leaders.’ Any person or group operating under such a designation is fraudulent, illegitimate, and acting with criminal intent,” the union stated.
The leadership called on the Nigeria Police, DSS, and other security agencies to “treat these impersonators as the criminals they are” and move swiftly to identify, arrest, and prosecute them.
It also urged the public, stakeholders, and media to disregard any communication or directive from the so-called “PTD Elders,” insisting that legitimate engagement with the tanker drivers’ branch must go only through Egbon’s leadership.
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