The leadership crisis bedeviling the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) Branch of NUPENG is yet to be over just as a stakeholder at the Port Harcourt Zone of the Union, Comrade Chris Amadi called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, in the interest of peace and industrial harmony to intervene in the very disturbing and ridiculous situation in the oil workers’ union.
According to Amadi, the PTD grouse is linked with the refusal of Williams Akporeha, NUPENG’s current President; and Afolabi Olawale, General-Secretary as well as the National Trustee, Otunba Salimon Akanni Oladiti to focus on their official tasks and stop treating PTD as an extension of their private estates or investments.
Amadi in a media chat on Monday with some journalists in Port Harcourt said:
“We are using this opportunity to appeal to our labour-friendly President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR to arrest the decline in civility seen in today’s PTD, being ochestrated by the overzealous leadership of NUPENG, who brought an impostor, Augustine Egbon as the National Chairman of PTD in a flagrant abuse of rules, conventions and practices.
“Today what all the law abiding members of PTD are saying is that Comrade Lucky Osesua holds all the aces, the legitimacy, loyalty and acceptance as the National Chairman of PTD, with Comrade Dayyabu Garga as his deputy and Comrade Humble Obinna Power as the National Secretary. To our unbiased President Tinubu, in the interest of harmonious industrial relations in the country and to prevent the misuse of privileges by some power drunk individuals, hence the need to resolve this lingering dispute became necessary for you to treat with urgency and all the seriousness it deserves.
“Mr President sir, your intervention as the Chief Security Officer is vital to upholding the rule of law and restoring order in the country’s industrial landscape. Therefore, Mr President, we urge you to use your good offices and available instruments of office to cause satisfactory closure to these matter which could negatively impact on the economy of the nation at a time like this”, he added.
Speaking about the type of leadership deserving for PTD, Amadi stated, ” Visionary leaders recognize the importance of working as a team, so too much individualism may contribute to ineffective leadership. When working as a leader, avoid showing favoritism and promote teamwork by providing recognition and fair opportunities to everyone on the team. Think about how each role contributes to the team and emphasize the benefits of collaboration. Don’t be selfish, greedy, unfair, always consider transparency, accountability and justice as great virtues. Share the rewards of successful projects with the entire team to encourage them to thrive in their role and offer support to others. Today these qualities are lacking in NUPENG and there is need for paradigm shift.
“We shall continue to respect and appreciate the great legacies that late Chief Frank Ovie Kokori left behind for us in NUPENG and the entire trade union movement outside the shores of Africa. And I completely agree with President Tinubu that late Kokori was a foremost nationalist who placed the good of the nation above personal interest, and that his death was a huge loss to the entire nation. But today we are surprised that the current leadership of NUPENG are at the verge of destroying all the legacies built by this uncommon late icon, Kokori, but God will never allow them.
“However, I am using this opportunity to extend my appeal to all our members in PTD to stay calm, focused, and law abiding. The first masquerade to dance would eventually become a spectator. Our victory is near and will definitely be total by God’s grace. PTD members across the 4 zones and members of the public should be aware that all our leaders, Comrade Lucky Osesua, Comrade Gayyab Garga, Comrade Humble Obinna Power and others are in sound mind and will continue to champion their interests no matter whose ox is gored. More importantly, they remain committed and undeterred to see that the long-awaited freedom for all members come to pass speedily and in the nick of time.” Amadi averred.
