NUPENG election: Tanker drivers kick against imposition of candidates

*Calls for cancellation of election

The Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD), has protested against an alleged attempt by NUPENG to impose officers on them at their forthcoming election.

Some members of PTD, an affiliate of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) who are kicking against the move by NUPENG to circumvent the laid down guidelines governing smooth elections in the union, vowed that they will resist the attempt  by NUPENG to stylishly force their favoured candidates through the backdoor upon them.

The PTD Port-Harcourt Zonal Chairman, Musa Dennis, who addressed journalists in Enugu said that the union will not relent until the procedures as stipulated in the constitution of NUPENG are followed.

“We are well aware of the election at the national level and we are saying that due process must be adhered to by religiously respecting the provisions of our by-laws.

“There should be no imposition of candidates as we shall vehemently reject purported electoral guidelines by the National Caretaker Committee. We are stating categorically that a tree cannot make a forest. Our branch is the mechanized division of the NUPENG family and we have the capacity to say no to evil agenda.

Moreover, Musa said, “Consequently, we shall resist all forms of departure from the rules as exemplified by the General Secretary of NUPENG, Afolabi Olawele and the out-gone National Chairman of PTD, Dr. Salimon Oladiti respectively. We don’t want division in PTD for we are one strong family.”

“We, the entire bonafide leaders and members of PTD Port-Harcourt zone, will not condone or accept the outcome of any election held outside our National Headquarters, Abuja and which did not follow the electoral guidelines and provisions of our by-laws.”

In apparent bid to forestall bitterness and disunity, the tanker drivers, therefore, called on the caretaker committee to do the needful by providing a level playing ground for all contestants and to follow the provisions of the union’s by-laws to ensure a free, fair, and credible election.