The Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) have launched a nationwide protest and threatened to severe ties with their parent union, the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) if its President Williams Akporeha and General Secretary, Afolabi Olawale, do not tender their resignation.
Their protest will lead to petrol scarcity since there would be no tankers to lift petrol from depots.
The PTD’s grievances stem from concerns over the leadership of Akporeha, and Olawale. The tanker drivers allege that Akporeha lacks the necessary credentials to lead the union and that both he and Olawale have mismanaged union funds.
In a statement issued on Sunday, PTD Ex-Officio from Ibadan depot, Gbenga Olawale, declared that the tanker drivers would be embarking on a nationwide protest to demand the resignation of Akporeha and Olawale. He also instructed PTD members to attach leaves to their trucks as a symbol of their protest and as a warning to NUPENG and the police against interfering with their actions.
Olawale further stated that Williams is not a member of NUPENG and as such lacks the competence to lead the union.
He alleged that Williams was drafted into petrol station workers of NUPENG (PSW) to enable him to contest election as NUPENG president which was a departure from the NUPENG constitution.
“Williams is not a worker or a pump attendant on record as at the time he was verifying for the president position,” the statement said.
Olawale also alleged that Williams placed his surrogates to collect all revenue of the union which was not used for the development of the union and tanker drivers.
He thus called for a fresh election as members of the PTD have decided to stand with Lucky Osusan and Dayyabu Garga to be the new NUPENG President and general secretary, respectively.
Industry watchers have stated that the PTD’s protest has the potential to disrupt fuel distribution across Nigeria, given the crucial role tanker drivers play in transporting petroleum products from refineries to fuel stations. The union has threatened to escalate its actions if their demands are not met, raising the specter of nationwide fuel shortages.