Petroleum Tanker Drivers Sue for Peace, Say Strike Not Necessary

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

The factional leadership of the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) branch of the Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Has Workers (NUPENG) has appealed to its members to jettison the earlier reported planned industrial action.

Speaking at a press conference in Abuja, the leader of the group, Lucky Osesua, urged the various units in and all other stakeholders to embrace peace while the leadership crisis in the union was being sorted out.

Having just been released on bail by the courts, Osesua promised not to run contrary to the bail agreement with the court and urged members of the group to go about their duties of hauling petroleum products across the country.

“On behalf of myself and my executive team, most of those who are here present assure you that we are free and have been granted bail by the respectable court of records, and we shall continue to keep to the terms of the bail and shall prove our innocence in no distant time.

“We humbly appeal to members to be calm and loyal, law-abiding, and go about their daily business without fear of police harassment, intimidation from other security agencies, as I and my executives are working tirelessly to resolve the leadership crisis and shall always, as usual, carry you on board our discussions and resolutions,” Osesua said.

There has recently been an altercation within the ranks of the PTD following the national elections which were separately held in Abuja and Ibadan. While the Ibadan election threw up Augustine Egbon, the one that took place in Abuja picked Osesua.

But Osesua appealed to members to sheathe their sword and not embark on a strike, stressing that along with others, “we are working and shall resolve the leadership tussle soon”.

“This is a time for the PTD to stand on its own and focus on the primary objective of the association, which is the delivery of petroleum products to all the states and locations within the federation.

“We appeal to you not to fall for the unrealistic promises from the other faction. It is important to say if we did not challenge the rascality, those unrealistic promises would not be made,” Osesua stated. He promised that the union does not to in any way intend to work against