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NUPENG President denies using police, courts against former tanker drivers’ leaders
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21 ex-PTD executives face trial over attempted murder and public disturbance
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Court hears details of multiple nullified elections and rival claims within the union
The National President of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), Comrade Williams Akporeha, has dismissed claims that the union is using law enforcement agencies or the judiciary to settle internal leadership crises.
Akporeha made the denial on Wednesday while being cross-examined by defence counsel Christopher Oshomegie (SAN) in the ongoing trial of 21 former leaders of the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) branch of NUPENG before Justice Yusuf Halilu of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja.
Defendants Face Five-Count Charge
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The defendants, including former PTD National Chairman Lucky Osesua, Dayyabu Garga, Humble Obinna, Akinolu Olabisi, Godwin Nwaka, and Tiamiu Sikiru, are standing trial on a five-count charge bordering on attempted murder, breach of public peace, and assault.
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Other defendants listed in the charge marked FCT/HC/CR/042/2023 include Abdulmimin Shaibu, John Amajuoyi, Zaira Aregbo, Patrick Erhivwor, Stephen Ogheneruemu, Gift Ukponku, and Sunday Ezeocha.
All the accused persons pleaded not guilty to the allegations.
‘NUPENG is One United Body’
Testifying as the second prosecution witness (PW2), Akporeha told the court that NUPENG remains a single, unified union and not divided into rival factions as alleged by the defence.
“It is not correct that one group is using the police and the court against another to settle a union matter,” Akporeha said.
“I am the national president of the union. I oversee everybody. NUPENG is one body, and there are no groups. NUPENG has about 150 branches, and PTD is just one of them. The issue of one group against another does not arise.”
Court Nullifications and Election Disputes
The union president explained that the PTD branch held its executive election in June 2022 in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, producing Osesua and others as winners.
However, the National Industrial Court sitting in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, later nullified that election and ordered a fresh poll under NUPENG’s supervision.
“After the first election was nullified, another one was conducted as directed by the court. Some of them went to court again, and that one too was nullified,” Akporeha stated.
“After this, NUPENG conducted another election in Ibadan, while some people held an illegal one in Abuja. The legitimate election is the one conducted by NUPENG in Ibadan.”
