PTD Delegates’ Conference: Dafinone Alleges Harassment of Voters

Wale Igbintade

Mrs. Blessing Dafinone of the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) branch of Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) Warri Zone, has raised alarm over alleged threats against delegates for the forthcoming National Delegates Conference of the union by some people within the union.

Dafinone, who is an elder in the zone called for an open secret ballot to be used during the conference of the union to be held in Lagos, stating that their clandestine moves to foist members to make choices against their wishes is totally unacceptable to majority of its membership.

According to her, “For this PTD election to be free, fair, credible, transparent and acceptable, it’s conduct must be done with the use of an open secret ballot, which every delegate will write their choice on a piece of paper so that no one else knows how they have voted. As we speak, there are complaints of intimidation and victimisation of delegates and the only way to curb that will be through open secret ballot, without fear or favor. They should please not send us back to the trenches.”

She lamented that a union, which had time without number accused management of different oil and gas companies in the country of stopping their members from being willfully unionised, is the same union that is foisting on its members to make choices against their wishes.
 “They are also building forces to support some particular candidates and threatening delegates to comply or face forceful exit from the union and this is not only unacceptable but criminal in nature.”

The Urhobo-born trade unionist told journalists at Radisson Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos, recently, that: “The judiciary has given the PTD Branch of NUPENG a fresh opportunity to reelect its new national executives that will reflect the wishes and support of the majority without rancor and this has been scheduled for Wednesday, July 3, 2024.