The delegates’ conferences of Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) Branch of Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) conducted in Ibadan and Abuja, which held simultaneously on October 31, 2023, have been nullified by the court.
Hon. Justice O.Y. Anuwe, while delivering her judgment in Abuja on Wednesday, May 29, 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 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 existing rules.
It will be recalled that, Augustine Egbon was elected PTD National Chairman in Ibadan, while Comrade Lucky Osesua emerged in Abuja.
Both union leaders have been laying claims to the leadership of the PTD since last year.
However, identifying the numerous legal infractions committed 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 disobeying 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 showed 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 be sacked from office and that the status quo should be maintained.
But this was equally flouted, as Afolabi still authorised an illegal unit election that was purportedly held at NNPC Port Harcourt refinery.
This flagrant disobedience to court orders had created a serious crisis in PTD which haf yet to be resolved before the cour ruling on Wednesday, to the effect that there should be a fresh, all-inclusive delegates’ confab to elect a new leadership of the union.
Attempts to get the reaction of the union leaders proved abortive as their phones were not available.
