PENGASSAN Crisis: Concerned Members Petition Nigerians, Allege Mass Victimisation and Abuse of Union Power

CONCERNED PENGASSAN MEMBERS: A PETITION TO THE NIGERIAN PUBLIC!

Comrades and fellow workers, for too long we have held our peace but silence in the face of sustained assault on our members and on our once-great Union has only deepened the crisis. We therefore come before the public; workers, trade unionists, and all who believe in democratic, accountable labour organization; to expose the danger that Comrade Festus Osifo now poses, not only to PENGASSAN but to the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) and to the entire Nigerian trade union movement.

His record in PENGASSAN, and now as TUC President, reveals a consistent pattern; the pursuit of personal power and the abuse of office to build a political base for an often boastfully stated 2031 electoral ambition. Our Union, founded on the collective strength of petroleum and gas workers, has been reduced to an instrument of one man’s ambition.

PENGASSAN members have paid the price. Many have lost their jobs because Osifo pressured their managements to sack them; simply for holding views different from his. Where managements refused to sack our members, he arbitrarily suspended, expelled, or dissolved entire branch Executives. This is not leadership; it is the crushing of rank-and-file democracy. The union belongs to its members, not to any individual. Loyalty in PENGASSAN is no longer to the Union but to Osifo only while he was there. However, we hope that comrade Bosun the current President who he imposed on PENGASSAN smells the snuff and changes direction.

This, having become an unfortunate pattern compels us to act together; to save petroleum and gas workers, and our Union itself, from a wolf that crept into our midst disguised as a sheep before it destroys the TUC and brings shame to the entire trade union movement.

Accordingly, we publish below the names of some of our members who have so far fallen victim to this anti-democratic onslaught in PENGASSAN. In due course, we will work with TUC state councils to collate the list of state officials who have been illegally victimised. Check the list; if the name of a loved one is there, know that this is not an isolated case. It is a warning to every worker in this country. If comrade Bosun does not take steps to step back, correct the mistakes and reconciles all the cleavages within the union, we will take our steps to reclaim PENGASSAN from the clutches of this dangerous monster.

                                               Solidarity forever.

1. Comrade Benson Inife – Indefinite suspension – 3rd year now (former chairman NCDMB)
2. ⁠Comrade Jimmy Dafe – 3 years (Chairman, NEPL)
3. ⁠Comrade Ese Whiskey – 1 year (NGIC/NGML)
4. Comrade Usman Umar – 1 year (Total branch)
5. Comrade Asikpo Kolawole- 1 year (NNRA Branch)

Suspended members
Oando contract (5 years)

1. Ezekwe Chigozie
2. Owaiagba Milton
3. Fredrick Solomon
4. Ogene Leonard
5. Ahiakwo Henry
6. ⁠Dissmissed Andrew Onofere (Branch Chairman PTI)
7. ⁠Charlse Ogbowu Nat’l Auditor)

Suspended members (NMDPRA)

1. Umar Anas Ibrahim
2. Muhammed Mujib Rahman
3. Abdulmalik Suleman Dili
4. Usani Elizabeth Uguru
5. Usaku Nathan Musa
6. Musa Shamsudeen
7. Mohammed Alhassan
8. Moses Okon Effiong
9. Idris Aliyu Bori
   10, Foloki Francis Maaebi
   11, Chinedu Isiuku
10. Philip Idongesit Nyong
11. Aminu Umar Abdulrahman
12. Abdulaziz Umar Dembo
13. Abubakar Abdullahi Isa
14. ⁠Ibrahim Zakari Biu
15. ⁠Nnena Merit Omoke
16. ⁠Ibok Hannah George

Dissolved (NGIC/NGML BECOM)
NGML BECOM

1. Eburajolo Owen W.
2. ⁠Tuge Aliyu
3. ⁠Fasoyiro Olalekan
4. ⁠Austin Akpduado
5. ⁠Victor Akpan
6. ⁠Mudassir Mohammed
7. ⁠Egbe Egbe
8. ⁠Pamela Agwom-Sani
9. ⁠Tamukunu Prekebina
10. ⁠Chimere Orji

Dissolved Chevron BECOM/chapters
Escravos Chapter

1. Atuorah Paul
2. Chinedu Kenneth Mebo
3. Omowa Adeola Michale
4. Oluwakayode Abiola Faith
5. Edun Bright Bemigho
6. Okijiola Maku-Tunde
7. Osakwe Emmanuel
8. Obiku Keme
9. Ogbudu Roland

Agbami Chapter

1. Ijoni Victor
2. Irone Benjamin
3. Orha Shadrach
4. Evoh Edwin
5. ⁠Erakpotobor Jacob Akpowene
6. ⁠Nwankwo Victor Okechukwu
7. ⁠Tuadibofa Raymond Ebipamowei

Lagos Chapter

1. Ebulu Sunday
2. Agwu Eugene
3. Merigini Seegod
4. Adebayo Joy Chinyere
5. Ogwuche Ada Otokini
6. Asena Kolade
7. Okani Anthony Nnamdi
8. Ogu Florence
9. ⁠Ishekwene Kingsley

BECOM

1. Lavin Aghaunor
2. Adepoju Adekunle
3. Soparaipirim Pepple
4. Akinfe Samuel
5. Sopakiriba West
6. Koloh Edwin
7. Fergus Enegide
8. Omovigho Edafeghwara
9. Ayandimaju Catherine
10. Ete Oyegbanren
11. Paul Udolu
12. Asekutu Wilson
13. Ete Oyegbanren – suspended for 3 years
14. ⁠Akinfe Samuel Babatunde – 3 years
15. ⁠Emiko Godstime – 2 years
16. Comrade Benson Inife – Indefinite suspension – 3rd year now (former chairman NCDMB)
17. ⁠Comrade Jimmy Dafe – 3 years (Chairman, NEPL)
18. ⁠Comrade Ese Whiskey – 1 year (NGIC/NGML)
19. Comrade …. – 1 year (Total branch)
20. Comrade …. – 1 year (NNRA Branch)

Suspended members
Oando contract (5 years)

1. Ezekwe Chigozie
2. Owaiagba Milton
3. Fredrick Solomon
4. Ogene Leonard
5. Ahiakwo Henry
6. ⁠Dissmissed Andrew Onofere (Branch Chairman PTI)
7. ⁠Charlse Ogbowu Nat’l Auditor)

Dissolved BEC NEPL

1. Oluwakemi Omotayo-Dada
2. ⁠Asabe Nwanade
3. ⁠Sharafa Sharafa
4. ⁠Alalibo Micheal
5. ⁠Elizabeth Mike-Atayi
6. ⁠Samuel Bassey
7. ⁠Amu Anthony
8. ⁠Nafiu Ibrahim
9. ⁠Lawal Adekeye
10. ⁠Tochukwu Dinyelu
11. ⁠Asemota Peter
12. ⁠Ernest Oghenejobo
13. ⁠Graham Yellowe
14. ⁠Mustapha Zimit
15. ⁠Okwubo Peter
16. ⁠Abdulakeem Abdulazeez
17. ⁠Uleh Jimmy

Suspended NEPL members (3 years)

1. Oduyemi Olawunmi
2. David Otiede
3. Olawale Ajayi
4. ⁠Okwuchi Awoyemi (18 months)

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As it is today over 30 officers have been suspended in TUC across States. Osifo is a monster that neither means well for Nigerian workers nor the trade union movement.