By: Oluwatosin Adesola
Members of Petroleum Tanker’s Driver Association, an arm of the Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) on Monday staged a peaceful protest demanding for proper election for the association
The members in a protest held at Ore Depot in Ondo State and its environs were carrying placard with different inscriptions.
According to a petition obtained by SUNSHINETRUTH, the executives led by Mr Yemi Akindun were elected to lead the association on the 5th day of December 2013 and had so led the association for an unbroken two terms of four years each, making eight years.
In the petition, “when the tenure ended, members pressed for an election which is the tradition of the association, but Akindun insisted that some things had to be put in place, which was strange to other members.
Efforts to speak with the Former Chairman, Yemi Akindun on the allegations proved abortive.
Addressing the protesters, the Vice Chairman, Independent Marketers Branch (IMB), Comrade Akinkunmi Robert urged both side to settle the dispute amicably without any form of violence
“Protest is bound to happen if their is injustice”, he said
He however urged NUPENG leaders at the national and Zonal level to intervene promptly.
The Former Auditor and Treasurer of the Association, Comrade Olumekun Tomisin while speaking also said that according to the constitution, the executive have served eight years, adding that when members noticed that they were not ready to lift bound for election to hold, they wrote petition to the appropriate quarters.
“While we waited for the given date for a meeting to hold on this issue, we confirmed that the Vice Chairman of the outgoing executive was sworn-in in Warri as the Chairman alongside those who have served two terms, except the outgoing Chairman who is now serving at the Zonal level without the knowledge of members
The PTD Chairman Akure branch, Comrade Akintomide Olatuja said that members do not want imposition, but a proper election according to the constitution of the union
They however called on the State government to urgently intervene in the matter before things get out of hand.
