Petrol tanker drivers across the country embark on protest

Drivers of petroleum tankers have threatened to quit from the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), the umbrella group, if general secretary Afolabi Olawale and president Williams Akporeha do not step down.

Tanker drivers planned to launch a nationwide protest to press their demands, according to a statement released on Sunday by Gbenga Olawale, the ex-officio of PTD Ibadan depot.

PTD members nationwide were told in the statement to march in front of their cars while carrying leaves as a warning to NUPENG and police not to meddle with or harass their leaders.

As per the statement, Mr. Williams lacks NUPENG membership, making him unfit to serve as the organization’s leader.

Williams was allegedly recruited into the NUPENG petrol station employees in contravention of the NUPENG constitution so that he could run for NUPENG president.

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“During the time he was running for president, Williams was not listed as a worker or a pump attendant,” the statement read.

According to PTD, Mr. Williams set up his surrogates to get all union income that wasn’t used towards the union’s and tanker drivers’ advancement.

Calling for new elections as PTD members, it emphasised that the drivers of fuel tankers had chosen to support Lucky Osusan and Dayyabu Garga for the positions of NUPENG general secretary and president, respectively.

The group further stated that because Messrs. Osusan and Garga made such great sacrifices to guarantee that their members were free from extortion, they chose to support them.